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• \. 


Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1892, by 
Gideon Bixlek, 

In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, L>. C. 


PRINTED AT 

BIXLER’S BUSINESS COLLEGE 
PRINTING DEPARTMENT, 

Wooster, Ohio. 



Heretofore publishers and teachers of penmanship have been giv¬ 
ing twenty times more attention to form than to physical training. 
This work reverses the method, and in so doing, form does not receive 
less attention, but receives more pra&ical attention. We, therefore, do 
not pay less attention to form, but simply utilize it as we go by training 
the muscles for its execution. The faCt is, we can not teach movement 
without form, but form can and has been taught, without any attention 
to movement. There is, therefore, no danger of neglecting any import¬ 
ant factor of good writing under this system. It is easy enough to 
know the shape of the letters, but not so easy to make them. 

The elegantly engraved copper-plate copies furnished to learners 
heretofore, had the effedt of pleasing the eye, and leaving the hand un¬ 
trained, or worse yet, trained erroneously—for a slow cramped finger 
movement is not applicable to business writing. But these copies had 
other derogative effects, namely, to deceive and discourage the young 
aspirant. Those copies have a stiff and distant appearance, and the 
learner knows that he can never reach them and lays aside his copies 
with disgust. 

Not only has speed been ignored under the copy-book method, but 
no attention, whatever, was paid to proper muscle training, so as to give 
the writer an easy command of the pen. The old methods show you 
how forms w^///to be made, we teach you how to make them. The 
old systems attraCl your admiration to the productions of an engraver's 
tools, we call your attention to the fresh ink lines emanating from the 
point of your own pen as easily as water runs down hill. It takes just 
so many careful strokes to drive a spike into a hard plank, and it 
takes just so many careful repetitions to train the muscles for a certain 
form in writing. To make these repetitions wrong, will have a negative 
result. 

To get the practical benefits of the treatise given in this little vol¬ 
ume, three things are necessary : 

1. To read. 

2. To think. 

3. To practice. 


The Author. 















N 






















TO THE READER AND STUDENT. 


This little volume is valuable mainly for the instructions it contains. 
Skill in writing consists in having a mastery over the pen. This is at¬ 
tained only by acquiring a thorough control over the muscles of the arm 
and fingers. Your entire success lies in this direction. The forms of 
letters are useful only as a means of training the muscles, and are sub¬ 
servient to the execution. To know the forms, is not enough, but to be 
able to make them properly, is quite sufficient. Simply to know or learn 
the shape of letters, is not difficult, but to make them requires thousands 
of repetitions intelligently performed. An artist can learn the forms of 
the small letters in less than an hour, but it will require weeks before he 
can train the muscles to make them, rapidly , easily and legibly. The 
great error in teaching writing has been in directing the attention main¬ 
ly on form, while muscle training never received much attention. Under 
such teaching failure must and is, inevitable. Publishers furnished cop¬ 
ies by the hundreds and thousands and while they all looked very pretty, 
the student had to be content in gazing upon them, for make them he 

could not. These copies took the place of instrudion, for the real dif¬ 
ficulty to be overcome by the learner, was not treated upon. The fad 
that people become discouraged more readily in writing than they do in 
other branches, can be analyzed. It is simply this : 

Their conception of correct form is so far in advance of their phys¬ 
ical skill that they see mountains of mistakes in their work. 

So you see there is a cause for your ofocouragement, which being 
explained changes to ^couragement. Knowing that your deficiency 
lies in the want of a better control of the muscles, you can direa your 
attention to them till they catch up with mind pictures. 

It is the object of this book to give a thorough treatise on the real 
difficulty in writing, which is to make, instead of simply to know the 

Most of our readers will have to be content to ««learn much that 
they learned through poor instruction. You will not find this book full 
of copies, but you will find it full of instructions, pointing out the way 
clearly to an easy, rapid hand writing. With these instructions you will 
find all the copies you need. You may have your room papered with 
copies, and we doubt if it would help you any in training your muscles 
for aaual work. 



6 


fHYSICAL JRAINING IN PENMANSHIP. 


A STRONG SYSTEM. 

Baxter’s Physical Training* in Penmanship is based upon conditions 
that can not possibly be refuted. These conditions, which we name 
below, must necessarily revolutionize the art of teaching. No intelli¬ 
gent person can stand behind these fadts and teach the old method of 
drawing* the forms. 

The learner should memorize the following fadts, upon which this 
System is based : 

/. That skill in writing is acquired principally through movement. 

2. That learning the shape of letters , is not difficult. 

j. That the best painters , sculptorsartists and mechanics , are not 
generally known as good writers. 

4. That the best business zvriters are riot generally known as artists. 

5. That the best penmen can write only with the hand they have 
trained , while with the left hand they write no better than others do. 

6. That the muscles are trained by careful repetitions. 

7. That a slow motion and a rapid motion are contrary to each oth¬ 
er , and you can not acquire the latter while practicing the former. 

8. That writing is valued in accordance to its legibility and speed. 

9. That Position , Penholding and Movement constitute the real 
■ difficulties in learning to write , and should receive attention first. 

10. That there is as great a difference between writing and draw¬ 
ing as there is in touching or striking a nail with a hammer. 

The above statements are made after ten years of the most pains¬ 
taking researches. It will be evident then, that the student should 
give his principal attention to the acquirement of a good movement, and 
he should study form only in order that he may know the diredtion of 
motion to be used in training the muscles. 

DIFFERENCE IN WRITING AND DRAWING. 

Below we briefly point out the difference between writing and draw¬ 
ing, and the student should thoroughly familiarize himself with these 
differences, so that he may know at all times on which side of the fence 
he is on. Pradlice only counts when it is done right , otherwise it is 
only so much time lost. 

Study the following that you may avoid falling into errors : 

1. The pen is held entirely different in writing from that oi draw¬ 
ing- 

2. The finger movement is generally employed in drawing, while 
the whole arm, (called muscular) which rests on the muscles in fronf of 
the elbow, is used in writing. 



fHYSJCAL JRAINING IN f EN^/VIANSHIP. 


7 


3. In writing the motion is rapid ; in drawing it is slow. v 

4. In dra wing the eye follows the point of the pen minutely through¬ 
out its entire course ; in writing the eye cannot follow the pen at all. 

5. The position of the body is different in writing from that used in 
drawing. 

6. The motion used in drawing is akin to that of touching some¬ 
thing, or of walking or crawling. In writing the motion can be allied 
to that of throwing, striking or running. No difference how fast you 
may try to walk, it will not be running until the body assumes a differ¬ 
ent attitude. Were it not for the plausible dissimilarity between writ¬ 
ing and drafting, our finest artists would also be splendid penmen ; in¬ 
stead, however, they often fall even below mediocrity. 

REPETITION. 

It is through repetition that a person can do a great many things. 
One blow from the ax will not cut a big log in two, but by repeated 
blows the work is soon accomplished. In making an impression on the 
mind the same law should be observed. You will find repetitions in 
this book in reference to very important conditions in your practice. 
Others gave you repetitions of copies, we give you the repetitions in 
reference to the making of those copies. You will find little trouble in 
getting the correct image of a copy in your mind, but you will find trou¬ 
ble in putting that image on paper with pen and ink. We want to make 
an impression on you to the effe6t that you must maintain a good posi¬ 
tion, that you must hold the pen correctly, that you must use the right 
movement, and then do the best you can, and if you must sacrifice any 
thing, sacrifice form, at first. In order to make this impression, you 
must do your part by reading this book again and again, until you are 
impressed with the importance, of cultivating movement under correct 
training. 

FORM IS EASY. 

Any one that can tell a thin pencil from a thick pencil, a straight 
stick from a crooked stick, a leaning post from an upright post, a short 
cane from a long cane, a peach from an apple', a plum from a cherry, a 
mule from a horse, a book from an album, and thousands of other things, 
certainly has enough conception of form to learn twenty-six characters 
composed of but few lines and many principles that are similar. Here 
we have three kinds of lines: 



In reality there are only two kinds, for the third is the same as the 



8 


PHYSICAL JRAIJ^G JN jpENMAJ'TSHJP. 


second, inverted. These lines are called elements. The following 
characters are called principles : 



Study the above characters a few minutes and you will have a good 
general idea as to their shape. Now, imagine these elements and princi¬ 
ples to be on little blocks so you can move them around and retain the 
same slant. Now let us push some of them together so as to make let¬ 
ters out of them. The one I mention first should always be placed on 
the left hand side. Push three and four together just as they are and 
you have the letter n ; push principle four against seven and we have y ; 
join five and seven and g appears ; repeat principle one and place them 
against two and we have w ; join principle six to element two with a 
short turn on base line and we have l ; now join six to principle two in 
the same way and you have b ; place number six against four and the 
letter h shows itself; place second element against seven to make j ; re¬ 
peat principle three and place them against four to make m ; place 
fifth principle against first element and unite to second element with a 
short turn and you will see the letter a ; to make the u simply repeat first 
principle and unite with second element with a short turn; unite prin¬ 
ciple three to. two with a turn to make z/ ; to make the letter t place 
second element against straight line two spaces high with square shade 
at top to which unite element two with a short turn, cross near top ; re¬ 
place first line of t by principle five and omit crossing and we have the 
letter d ; make second element two spaces high and join angularly to a 
straight line extending a space and a half below the base line and then 
place it against fourth principle to make the little p. You will notice by 
the above that you do not even necessarily have to learn twenty-six 
characters that are entirely different from each other to learn the shape 
of all the small letters, for they have principles common to each other. 
Even the principles are nearly alike. Seventh principle is same as the 
sixth turned upside down, and fourth is same as third except that it has 
one additional line. Is writing mechanical ? Does *it take a mechanic 
to learn how a few simple principles are made ? If writing is mechan¬ 
ical, then the best mechanics should be good penmen, but in eighty-five 
cases out of a hundred it is just the other way. Also, the very best 
writers in the country are generally very poor mechanics. 

Place a letter h correctly written on the blackboard before any 
school, and give the scholars a brief analysis of the letter, then erase 









f HYSICAL JRAIDINGPEjSTMAN^HIP. 


9 


it and place twenty more on the board incorrectly written. If the dif¬ 
ference is in the least prominent, the scholars will point out the letter 
that looks nearest like the one you had on the board in the first place, 
and in most cases they will nearly all agree. But tell them to make the 
letter and you will have as many different letters as there are scholars 
in the room, and not one of them will have a letter to suit the party that 
made it. They see the letters nearly alike, but when they try to make 
them they differ as much as they do in their gestures. 

MOVEMENT POWER. 

Movement power consists in having a control over the muscles of 
the arm and fingers in writing. It enables you to write easily, rapidly, 
legibly and beautifully. Letters, words and sentences flow from the 
point of the pen almost as easily as water runs down hill. You can 
modify letters and still retain beauty. It makes writing a pleasure in¬ 
stead of a task, and renders it permanent. 

As soon as you know the shape of a letter you can make it with the 
hand you have trained. Penmen are as awkward in writing with their 
left hand as most other people. Movement power is real penmanship ; 
their is no fraud about it; it is the executive part, the retaining part, and 
the most difficult to acquire. Its corner stone is position ; its next layer 
is penholding; appropriate training exercises constitute the last layer of 
the foundation upon which real penmanship is placed. Good move¬ 
ment allows you reserved power to think of the logic of your composi¬ 
tion. If you think and compose the sentences, the pen will put them 
down for you almost unconsciously, as easily as your feet carry you over 
the ground while you are singing. Without it your writing will be a 
task, a labor, no difference how good your conception of form may be. 

Movement is to form, as a locomotive is to the cars ; and to haul the 
cars with mules is like writing with the finger movement. Movement 
power enables you to make the letters ; without it you are like a sick 
man that knows much but can do nothing. 


ANALYSIS OF LETTERS. 

SMALL LETTERS. 

Because form is much easier than movement it is not supposed that 
it can be acquired without careful study. 

The student should study the analysis of all the letters carefully, so 
that he may have a correct picture of each letter in his mind. 

The elements are composed of the (i) straight lines, (2) right curve, 
and (3) left curve. The straight line in all the letters is made on a slant 
of fifty-two degrees from a horizontal. The right curve and left curve 



io 


PHYSICAL JRAINIJMG JjV PEJVMANSJHP. 


are generally made on a slant of thirty degrees. The hight of the small 
letter i is used for measuring the hight and width of letters and is called 
a space. If a letter is two spaces high, it is twice as high as the little i &c. 

See Elements and Principles on pages 7 and 8. 

A slant of fifty-two degrees is called main slant. A slant of thirty 
degrees is called connective slant. 

PRINCIPLES. 

First Principle is made by joining second and first elements. Right 
curve is on a slant of thirty degrees, hight one space. Join with a point 
at top. 

Second Principle. Make right curve one space high, then join with 
a point to horizontal right curve one-half space in length. The two 
lines form a slant of thirty degrees. 

Third Principle. Join left curve to straight line with a short turn at 
top. Slant of first line thirty degrees, hight one space. 

Fourth Principle. Unite third principle to second element with short 
turn on base line. Hight one space. Slant of last line thirty degrees. 

Fifth Principle. Make left curve one space high and two spaces to 
the right of beginning point, retracing first line one-fourth its distance, 
continue to base line with left curve, then join to second element with 
short turn uniting at top. Distance from first line to short turn on base 
line, one space. 

Sixth Principle. Make right curve three spaces high, turn short and 
descend with a straight line crossing first line one space above base line. 
Width of loop one-half space. Remember all the straight lines in the 
small letters are made on a slant of fifty-two degrees. Distance between 
the two lines on the base line, one space. 

Seventh Principle is same as the sixth only it is inverted. If a man 
stands on his head he is still a man, but he makes quite a different ap¬ 
pearance. Begin one space above base line and descend with a 
straight line three spaces, turn short and ascend with a left curve, cross¬ 
ing first line on base line and ending one space above base line at a 
point one space to the right of first line. Hight above base line one 
space, distance below base line two spaces. 

All the above principles are one space high from base line, except 
the sixth which is three spaces high. 

Short Letters. 



All the above letters are one space high, except r and s which are a 
space and a quarter. 




f HYSJCAL JR/INJNG JjV PEJMMAJ^Sjf JP. 


11 


In giving the description of letters we mention the principle or 
elements in the order as they are made. 



Principle one and second element, join with short turn. 
Place dot one space above top on main slant with straight 
line. Width two spaces. 




Principle one, principle one and second element. Join 
with short turns. Width three spaces. 



Principle one, principle one and principle two, Join with 
short turns. Width three spaces. 



Principle three and principle four. Join angularly. Width 
three spaces. 



Principle three, principle three, principle four. Join 
angularly. Width four spaces, the widest letter in the 
small alphabet. 



Principle three and principle two. 
Width two spaces. 


Join with short turn. 



Principle three modified by curving last line so as to end 
two-thirds of a space to the right of first line ; then make left 
curve on main slant so as to touch last line of third principle 
at center and finish with second element. Distance betvyeen top of 
third principle and last downward stroke, one-third space. Width of 
letter two spaces. 



alphabet. 


Third element, third element on main slant, second princi¬ 
ple on less slant. Close at top and unite with short turn on 
base line. Width one space and a half, narrowest letter in the 
Width of oval one-half space. 



Third element, little right curve, third element on mam slant, 
second element. After making third element, place your pen 

_one-third space to the right, and three quarters of a space 

above base line, and after making a little dot by a slight downward 
motion, make a little right curve, turn short towards the left, touching 
first line and continuing with third element on main slant, finish with 
right curve. 






12 


^HYSJCAL JRAJJTfNGJJ'J PEJVM/INSHJP. 


Second element, first element, second element. Join first 
two lines with a short turn at top, making a loop one-quarter 
of a space in width, and crossing one-third space above base 
line. Join with short turn on base line. Width two spaces. 




Fifth principle, first element, second element. Join angu¬ 
larly at top and with a short turn on base line. Shade sec¬ 
ond stroke. Width, three spaces. 


Second element, little left and little right curve, first ele¬ 
ment, second element. After making second element one 
space and a quarter high, make a slight left and right curve 
forming a shoulder two-thirds of a space above base line and one-third 
space to right of first line, then merge into a straight line. Join with 
short turn on base line. Shade straight line slightly. Width two spaces. 

Second element, slight left curve, third element, second 
element. After making first line one space and a quarter high, 
make a slight left and right curve on main slant to base line, 
continue leftward with right curve, making a dot a quarter of a space 
above base line and on first line, then finish with right curve. After 
making dot you can lift the pen to finish last line. Width two spaces. 




Semi-extended Letters. 



The /, d, and p extend two spaces above the base line and the p and 
q a space and a half below the base line. 

Second element, first element, second element, hori¬ 
zontal straight line. Shade squarely at top then gradually 
diminish the shade as you approach the line. Horizontal 
straight line should be a space and a half above base line, 
and should be one space long, two-thirds of it should be to the right 
and one-third to the left of the downward stroke. First line is re¬ 
traced one-half its length. Join with short turn on base line. Width, two 

Fifth principle, second element, first element, second 
element. After making fifth principle continue with an 
upward stroke and finish same as in /, omitting crossing at 
top. Let the lines touch one space above base line. 
Second line should not be shaded. Width three spaces. 


spaces. 











f HYSJCAL JR/INING JN PEJMMAJVSJJIP. 


13 



Second element, first element, fourth principle. First 
line is made a little to the left of connective slant. Join 
angularly at top and on base line. Shade first straight 
line at bottom. Width three spaces. 


■ Principle five, first element, very slight right curve and 
ending with third element. Join angularly at top and with 
a short turn at bottom. Width below base line one-third 
of a space. Shade second line. Width three spaces. 


Loop Letters. 



The letters /, b , h, k and f are three spaces high above base line, 
and j,y, g, z , and/ extend two spaces below the base line. 

Principle six, second element. Join with short turn. 
Width, two spaces. 


Principle six, principle two. Join with short turn. 
Width, two spaces. 


Sixth principle and fourth principle joined angularly. 
Width, three spaces. 


Principle six, third element, second element, first ele¬ 
ment and second element. After making sixth principle 
in angularly and ascend with left curve one space and a 
quarter in hight, then turn and descend with short right 
curve, join angularly and decend with straight line. Join last two lines 
with a short turn. Hight of last straight line one space. Distance 
between straight lines one-half space. Last downward stroke should 
be shaded. Width, two and a half spaces. 









f IIYSJCAL JRAIJVIjNG JN f ENJWANSJHP. 


H 



Second element, seventh principle. Join angularly. 
Place dot one space above top on same slant as straight 
line. Width, two spaces. 


mam i 

mmm 

mm i 



Fourth principle, seventh principle. Join angularly. 
This letter is exactly the same as the h inverted. 



Fifth principle, seventh principle. Join angularly at top. 
Width, three spaces. Shade second line. 



Third principle, seventh principle, modified. After 
making third principle join angularly and make a very 
short horizontal left curve, then turning downward finish 
with seventh principle. Width, two spaces. 



two spaces. 


Sixth principle, first element, second element, second 
element. Continue straight line of sixth principle to a 
point two spaces below base line, turn short and ascend 
with right curve touching downward stroke on base line ; 
join angularly and finish with second element. Width 
Shade downward stroke below base line. 


CAPITAL 

LETTERS. 


Principles. 

Elements. 

maSS^mSSai 


am 


First Principle consists of a left curve and a right curve, elements 
three and two. Join with an oval turn at the top. Slant fifty-two de¬ 
grees. Distance between lines on base, one-third of a space. Width 
measured at right angles to its slant, one and one-half spaces. Last 
line should be shaded. Hight three spaces. 

Second Principle is composed of third and second elements united 
on base with oval turn. Width measured at right angles to its slant, 
two spaces and a half with shade. Hight, three spaces. First line 
should be shaded. Main slant. 





fHYSJCAL JRAIJVIJVGJN PEJvjM^N^jflP. 


15 


Third Principle is composed of a slight left and right curve, shaded 
on base line. Main slant. 

First principle is called capital fold or reversed oval. The second 
principle is known as the direct oval or capital O. Third principle is 
called the capital stem. All capital letters are three spaces high. 

Letters From Reversed Oval. 




Capital fold, left curve, right curve. Second and third 
lines should touch near center. Distance between second 
and third line at top, one and two-third spaces : on base 
line, one and one-third spaces. 

Capital fold, right curve, straight line, left curve. All 
lines are joined angularly. Distance between parts at 
top and on base, one and two-thirds spaces. 

Capital fold, then turn short and make little loop one- 
third of a space high, to which join the seventh principle, 
modified. Distance between crossing and little loop on 
base, three quarters of a space. 


Capital fold modified slightly by making downward 
stroke more rapidly toward the left; turning short make 
little horizontal loop one space long, then finish with 
right curve. 

Capital fold, left curve, straight line, right curve. 
Join with curve at top and base. Make shade near base 
line. 





i6 


f HYSJCAL JRAIJ'UJ'IG JN f ENMAJ^SHJP. 


Capital fold same as in N. Third, first, third, first, 
and second elements. Join with short turn at top, and 
angularly on base except last two lines. First curve 
should be a space and a third, and second curve two 
spaces above base line. 

Modify capital fold by making downward stroke straight, 
then turn short and finish with a right and left curve two 
spaces high. Distance between last two lines one space 
above base, one-half of a space. Width of reversed oval, 
measured at right angles to its slant, one and one-third spaces. Dis¬ 
tance between parts on base, two-thirds of a space. 

Make reversed oval same as in V, then turn short and 
ascend with right curve two spaces, join angularly and 
form first and second elements. 

Make this letter the same as U until you have formed 
the last straight line, then continue downward and make 
the seventh principle. 






Reversed oval is modified by making it only one space 
wide. Shade near base and cross first line one-half space 
above base line. 



Form capital fold by making it only one space wide 
and continue with a downward stroke to a point two 
spaces below base, finish same as in seventh principle. 
Shade below base. Lines cross on base line. 


Letters From Capital O. 




Capital O is composed of second principle. 





fHYSIjCAL JRAIJVING IjV f ENMAJVSJHP. 


*7 



Third element, second element, third element, second 
element. First two lines should be two spaces long, and 
should form a loop one space in width, crossing near top. 


Commencing two and one-half spaces from base line 
descend with a slight left and right curve to base, then 
turning short, form a little loop and descend with com¬ 
pound curve to base two spaces to the right of loop, then 
finish with direa oval joining at top and stopping one-half of a space 
above base. Hight of little loop, three quarters of a space. 




After making second principle, modified, join angularly 
and finish with first and second elements. Join with short 
turns on base line. 



After making little loop at top, descend with left curve; 
make another little loop a space and two-thirds above base 
and at right angles to its slant, then finish with modified 
capital O. 

Letters From Capital Stem. 





Make capital stem two and one-half spaces high, then 
make left and right curve over the top. 



After making capital T cross stem near center with 
horizontal straight line, then make a slight downward 
stroke. 



After making upper part of an oval, descend with third 
principle, then unite with horizontal loop and finish with 
right curve. Length of loop one space. 






i8 


fHYSIjCAL JRAINIJVGJN PEJSTM/iNSJfJP. 


Ascend with second element three spaces high, turn 
short and finish with capital stem crossing first line near 
the middle and finishing with dot on first line one-fourth of 
a space above base. Width of loop, one-half space. 

After forming the capital stem, unite with a left curve 
three spaces high, then make an oval turn and descend 
with a right curve crossing stem near top, and also at a 
point one space and a half above base line. Hight of Stem 
two and one-half spaces. 

Ascend with right curve two and one-half spaces, 
join angularly and descend with modified capital stem ; 
then commencing three spaces above base and two 
spaces to the right, descend with a left curve to base 
line, then ascend vertically and finish with a little loop. 

First part same as in H. To finish, place your pen 
two spaces to the right and three spaces above base, 
then decend with a compound curve and after forming a 
little loop to stem one and one-half spaces above base 
line, descend with a compound curve to base, turn short and finish 
with second element. 





HHHBHBBI Ascend with a right curve three spaces high, turn short 

E 0WA and descend with left curve crossing first line one space 
above base, make oval turn, ascend with a right curve to 
| a point a space and a half above base, then join angularly 
and finish with modified capital stem. Distance between top of stem 


and first line, one space. 


After making capital stem with an upward stroke, unite 
with an oval turn to right curve, descending a space and 
a half make a little loop, then continue to base line, turn 
_ short and ascend with a left curve one space high. Dis¬ 
tance between loop and stem, one space. Shade last downward stroke. 




R is made the same as B until after you form the oval 
turn at top, then descend more rapidly to the left, making 
little loop near the stem, after which descend to base 
with a compound curve and finish with a right curve. 


Figures. 




f HYSJCAL JRAIJHJ^G JN PEJVMyVNSHJP. 


19 


PHYSICAL TRAINING IN POSITION. 

In the foregoing pages we have given you a full and explicit de¬ 
scription of all the letters, as well as a copy of each, but we are now 
ready to enter upon the executive part, the part which will weigh your 
skill in doing. 

Position is not difficult to understand, nor is it very difficult to as¬ 
sume, but it is rather troublesome to retain while writing. It is for this 
reason that the student will require constant watching, and a thorough 
drill again, and again, and again, while practicing writing. Do not at¬ 
tempt too much at once, but take one simple exercise, such as the cap¬ 
ital fold or little straight line, and then praHice position while making 
the exercise. Your success will depend upon concentration of energy— 
the more you scatter it, the less will you reap. 



The above picture represents an easy healthy position at the desk. 
The body should be erect, and should be turned slightly toward the left 
so as to bring the elbow of the right arm over the desk. Feet should 
be in front of the chair and on the floor. Head may incline just a little 
forward. The body should be close to the desk, but not against it. 
Right hand and paper should be direCtly in front of the body, and the 
tips of the fingers of the left hand should rest on the paper in order to 
hold it, and change it whenever it is necessary. The right arm should 
generally be at right angles with the ruled lines on the paper, and 
should rest on the fleshy part in front of the elbow. The arm should 
rest very lightly on the desk and should not be used as a support. 







fHYSJCAL JRAJNJMG JN fEJ^M^AJVSHJP. 


The body is not to lean against the back of the chair, in fa<5t, every 
muscle should be attentive. I he arm should move from the shoulder, 
but to some extent it also moves from the elbow. 

You should pra6tice a correct position at all times while writing, as it 
will take a while before you can miantain a good position. Of course, 
all can not have exactly the same position, nor can they hold the pen 
exactly alike, but they should be careful so as not to fall into inexcusa¬ 
ble errors. 



The above cuts illustrate the position generally assumed by students 
who aim in making perfe<5t copies from the start. When once the 
learner falls into such awkward, unhealthy positions, it is very difficult 
to avoid them, and under no circumstances can he become an 
easy rapid writer while tolerating such miserable habits. It brings on 
curvature of the spine and disease, which alone, is sufficient evidence 
why it should be avoided. Writing is a sensitive, delicate physical exer¬ 
cise. It is sensitive in as much as the slightest variation ofmotion is in¬ 
stantly revealed to the eye through the stroke of the pen. It is delicate 
for the reason that all awkwardness must disappear, and only the most 
thoroughly trained muscles can produce efficient work—unlike that of 
any thing else, the movements are measured down to a hair line. How 
different then, it must be in producing this motion from that of simply 
looking at fine copies, or drawing them off. 

A good position is a habit, and all habits are formed by carefnl 
repetitions. You must, therefore, practice position, you must practice it 
often—every time you sit down to write, until the habit is permanently 













f HYSJCAL JOINING JN PEJMMAJVSJHP. 


21 


formed. It gives strength, ease and grace to your writing. It gives 
health instead of deformity and disease. It is indeed, one of the most 
healthful exercises, as has been evidenced by hundreds who have prac¬ 
ticed this system. It has positively cured persons of many ailments. 

Every muscle in the body is more or less active while there is no strain 
on any part of the body. This mild adivity of all the muscles sends 
the blood thrilling throughout every artery and vein, which together 
with the a<5tivity of muscles and mind produces a good wholesome ef¬ 
fect. 

PEN HOLDING. 

Hold the pen between the thumb and first and second fingers. 
Let the thumb touch the holder opposite the lower joint of the first 
finger. 7 he holder should touch second finger at the corner of the 
nail in front, or opposite the root of the nail. The hand should rest 
on the tips of the third and fourth fingers. The holder should touch 
first finger a little in front of last knuckle. Wrist should not touch the 
paper or desk. The arm rests on the muscles in front of the elbow. 

As people have differently shaped fingers and hands, it would not 
be natural for them to hold the pen exactly the same, but substantially 
there is but little difference. For some people who have short fingers, 
it is more natural to have the top of the holder back of the last knuckle 
instead of having it in front. 



I he third and fourth fingers may rest either on the nails or fleshy 
part of the fingers, and with some they may be turned under the palm 
of the hand farther than is represented in the above cut. 

The point of the pen should be about one inch from the end of the 
second finger. The top of the holder should always point toward the 
right shoulder, or nearly so. The following cuts show position of 
hand while holding pen : 



















22 


f HYSJCAL JRAIJVIJSfG JN f EN/IANSJIIP. 



Position and pen holding cannot be learned in one day, nor in one 
week, and that is why the learner must sacrifice form for position and 
penholding; they are difficult and it takes persistent labor before they 
can be acquired. 

You need not sacrifice a knowledge of form, but only the making of 
it, if necessary. 

There are three movements, whole arm, muscular and combined. 

WHOLE ARM MOVEMENT. 

This movement is almost obsolete. It is used mostly by artistic 
penmen in making large flourished capital letters, and in combining 
capitals. It is the freest movement, but you cannot use it long until 
your arm becomes very tired. Another obje<5tion to this movement is, 
that you must raise and lower the arm every time you change from 
capitals to small letters. It is the easiest movement to learn. Hold 
the pen corredlly, leaving the tips of the third and fourth fingers rest 
on the paper, then raise the arm slightly from the desk and keeping 
the fingers quiet , use the arm from the shoulder. The third and fourth 
fingers should slide on the paper the same as the point of the pen. 





























fHYSJCAL JRAJNJNG JN fENMAJVSHJP. 


23 


MUSCULAR MOVEMENT. 

Rest the arm on the muscles in front of the elbow, and also on the 
tips of the third and fourth fingers, then use the arm from the shoulder, 
keeping the fingers quiet. Tips of the third and fourth fingers must 
slide on the paper, but the muscles in front of the elbow do not slide 
on the desk, they simply contrad and expand. By using the thumb 
and first and second fingers in connexion with the muscular movement, 
we have what is known as the 

COMBINED MOVEMENT. 

This movement is used in making all the loop letters. In speak¬ 
ing of muscular movement, the combined movement is generally in¬ 
cluded under the same name. The pure muscular movement is gen¬ 
erally used in making all the capitals and short letters, but there is no 
serious objedion in using the fingers, and the arm from the elbow very 
slightly in connedion with the muscular movement ; however, that 
needs no encouragement on our part. 

AGE. 

Children six years of age should be taught corred position and pen 
holding, and they should receive a thorough- drill in movement, each 
lesson, but their progress in learning the muscular movement will be 
slow at first, as the nerves are too weak for proper development. 
They must be allowed finger movement at first to some extent until 
they acquire more nerve power. If they receive the proper instrudions 
they need not use the finger movement after they become nine and ten 
years of age. Children six and seven years of age may use long lead 
pencils instead of pens, and they should be allowed the whole arm 
movement in certain exercises, as it helps the muscular movement to 
some extent. 

MATERIALS. 

In pradising, wide ruled foolscap paper of a good quality should 
be used. The paper should weigh not less than fourteen pounds to 
the ream. Do not be stingy with your paper. To improve your pen¬ 
manship thirty per cent., it will take at least one dollar’s worth of pa¬ 
per and several dozens of pens. Use a good steel pen as it is the best. 
It should not be too coarse nor too fine pointed. By careful, effedive 
pradice a pen lasts only from two to three hours. As soon as a pen 
begins to get sharp you should substitute a new one. Buy your pens 
by the dozen or quarter gross, and your paper by the quire or quarter 
ream, and then go to work. 

Use good black ink. Before you can become an easy, rapid writ¬ 
er, you must make a certain number of careful repetitions; you 



24 


fHYSIjCAL JRAJNIJVG/N PEJ^M/NSJIIP. 


must use up a certain amount of paper and a certain number of pens. 
The amount differs with different individuals, but to complete a course 
in plain writing it generally takes from one-half to three-fourths of a 
ream of paper, and nearly one gross of steel pens, so that the cost of 
materials will be about three dollars. 

The time required to use up these materials averages about 200 
hours of solid work. Some scholars write up five cents worth of paper 
during a winter and then conclude they cannot learn to write. If a 
man wishes to become a fast runner, he must run hundreds of miles ; 
if you wish to be a good penman, you must repeat the letters and ex¬ 
ercises thousands of times with the proper speed ; and that takes paper 
and pens. A good hand writing is worth $1,000 to any young man or 
woman. To some penmen it is worth more than $25,000, so that the 
cost of material is almost nothing compared with good penmanship. 

HOW TO PRACTICE. 

Your entire success depends upon how you practice. Take the easi¬ 
est exercises first; such as the oval exercise, little straight line, and all 
the principles. Fill up whole pages with these exercises, but you must 
do it very carefully . You must give your entire attention to the work. 
Strike out boldly, as though you were not afraid ; notice your mistakes 
as you proceed, and then try to avoid them, but do not stop to take 
time to get discouraged, but keep right on. Remember that it is through 
the mistakes that you learn, and you will make thousands of them. For 
a while your exercises will look like chicken tracks, but remember you 
are working to get a good position , correCt penholding , and a proper 
movement. After practicing twenty-five hours you will notice that every 
once in a while you will get some pretty good forms, though they may 
still be in the minority. 

There is not so much in the arrangement of exercises as there is in 
practicing them correCtly, There is generally one right way of practic¬ 
ing, but there are a great many wrong ways. To practice and talk, or 
whistle, at the same time, is one wrong way; to practice while holding 
the pen wrong, is another wrong way ; to draw the letters slowly, is 
wrong also; to practice half the time and complain the other half, is an 
ineffective way ; to practice while thinking of something else, will do 
you but little good ; to practice without knowing the form you wish to 
make, is time lost; to practice a slow motion in order to learn a rapid 
one, is contrary to nature. Do not write all the time, but when you do 
write , give your entire attention to the work. You cannot write easily 
until you have acquired it. If a child wishes to learn to walk, it must 
give its entire attention to what it is doing until it has formed a habit of 
walking. 



f HYSJCAL JRAIj^IJSTG JN ^ENMAJSISHJP. 


After it has a thorough control over the muscles, then it can think 
about something else, and walk or run at the same time without the 
least danger of falling. So it is in writing; while you are learning you 
must be very attentive so as to notice all your mistakes, and then try to 
profit by them instantly, and in course of time corre< 5 t penholding will 
become natural for you, so that it will be just as unnatural for you to 
hold it wrong as it was to hold it right in the first place. 

Be enthusiastic and feel free to strike out regardless of the results. 
After filling up a page with small exercises, turn it half around and go 
over it again with large movement exercises, such as the capital fold, 
oval exercise, capital stem, &c. You need not pra6tice on two or three 
hundred different movement exercises, which have but little to do with 
the letters. You will make better progress by working on the elements , 
principles , letters and words. Sometimes it is a good exercise to 
change from one exercise to another quickly, so as to make from fifteen 
to twenty exercises in thirty seconds, or a minute. 

It is also very entertaining for a class to compete on speed, on some 
simple exercise, such as the capital fold, extended loop, &c. 

BUSINESS WRITING. 

There is a vast difference between business and artistic writing. 
This difference does not only consist in the discrepancy of the forms, 
but in the manner in which they are executed. The skill of a pradtical 
writer should enable him to write without thinking much aboutit , while 
in artistic writing the entire attention is concentrated on the writing. 
Artistic writing is always more or less laborious, as it can never be done 
unconsciously. In writing a business letter the skill of the writer should 
enable the person to give his entire attention to the subject matter ,while 
the pen should record the thoughts as readily as the tongue performs 
its mission in speaking words. There is only one way in which this can 
be done, and that is by acquiring physical skill of the arm and Angers 
by thoroughly training them in accordance to the treatise here pre¬ 
sented. Mental training alone, will never accomplish this. 

Business writing need not necessarily be ugly, but that beauty is 
one of its principal factors, is a delusion and a farce. Business writing 
must be legible and it must be written rapidly, easily, and without think¬ 
ing much about it, so as to give your mind full liberty to think of the 
subject matter. An orator can not write an oration while thinking all 
the time of his penmanship; neither can a poet write his rhymes while 
putting all his mental and physical efforts in the letters he is forming 
with the pen. 

There has been much deception both in the teaching and the exe¬ 
cution of penmanship. Artistic writing has been represented as busi¬ 
ness writing. A writing teacher would write at one page for a day, and 



26 


fHYSJCAL JRAJNJNG JN fENM/JVSHJP. 


then re-copy it two dozen times and then pick out the best , and adver¬ 
tise it as a business style.” Such writing under similar circumstances, 
does not represent business writing at all, for the reason that all one’s 
efforts are given to penmanship, which can not be done by a business 
man. Again, engraved copies have been represented as a fac-simile of 
original, when, in fact, it was completely changed for the better. Hand 
engraving is done under a very slow motion, while in business writing 
speed is of the greatest importance. 

HOW TO ACQUIRE MOVEMENT POWER. 

To try to acquire a good movement without regard to form would 
be like 'learning to play ball without paying any attention to the ball. 
We cannot train the muscles unless we know what to train them for 
Therefore, a conception of form precedes the movement. The letteis 
afe the end in view, and movement and conception of form are the 
means of accomplishing that end. We must procure the means first; 
that is, we must acquire a good movement and conception of form be¬ 
fore we can put letters on paper in the proper shape. If we sacrifice 
the correct movement for a wrong one in order to get the form then we 
are Sacrificing the means for the end, which is illogical. It would be 
like solving problems in arithmetic before learning to add, subtract and 
multiply first, fundamental rules of arithmetic. To solve problems in 
arithmetic is the end to be accomplished, and addition, subtraction, 
multiplication and division are the means of accomplishing that end. 

To acquire the means the conception of form should be almost per¬ 
fect right from the beginning. An incorrect copy should not be substi¬ 
tuted for a correct one. No work on penmanship should ever contain 
imperfect copies to show freedom of movement, unless accompanied by 
perfect engraved or written ones. Imperfect copies are more easily 
written by the teacher than perfect ones, but they are just as hard to 
imitate by the learner. 

The muscular movement is the most powerful movement, and in 
fact, the only movement worth mentioning for business writing. This 
is not disputed by any one having any knowledge of writing. It can 
only be acquired by using it. To practice with the muscular movement 
slowly does not train the muscles for a rapid motion for the two are con¬ 
trary to each other. To practice with the finger movement never helps 
the muscular movement any. The shortest .way is not always the best 
way. When a learner has a copy before him he can imitate it more ac¬ 
curately at first by using a slow finger movement, but this will never 
develop a muscular movement. Again he can make it more accurately 
at first by using a slow muscular movement, but this does not train the 
muscles for a rapid motion, besides, it produces rough kinky lines not 
at all pleasing to the eye. Drawing letters slowly with the finger move- 



fHYS/CAL JRAIJVIJ^G JN PEJVM/NSHJP. 


27 


ment in order to learn to write them rapidly is like a man trying to learn 
to walk a rope by crawling across it. The quickest way to learn to 
walk a rope is to walk it. If you fall off dozens of times, do not resort 
to crawung , but keep on walking and in a short time you can walk a 
wire. So in learning to write, do not draw but write. At first your ex¬ 
ercises will appear very awkward indeed, but do not resort to wrong 
posi ion on that account; do not resort to wrong penholding ; do not re¬ 
sort to wrong movement; do not resort to wrong speed, but continue to 
do the best you can, not expeding too much at first. Of course, corred 
penholding and a corred position cannot be learned in one day ; it is a 
growth and must be acquired through diligent pradice. Although form 
precedes movement, yet it is given only with a view of training the 
muscles. For the first few weeks the learner should not pay much at¬ 
tention to form, but he should apply himself principally to movement 
exercises. The learner should pradice with the proper speed at all 
times, not too fast and not too slow. The muscles being trained by re¬ 
petition, he should make thousands of them before looking for ^ood 
results. 

To draw the letters slowly at first in order to get the form, is like a 
boy learning to run by walking. If a boy takes one hundred thousand 
steps slowly , that is ifhe walks that many steps, he will not make much 
progress in learning to run fast. But if he only takes fifty thousand steps 
quickly, by running, he will become quite a good runner. So in writ¬ 
ing* you may draw all the letters slowly one hundred thousand times, 
and at the end of that time you will be as incompetent to write them 
rapidly as you was in the first place. But some writing teachers claim, 
that because a child must learn to crawl before it can walk, we should 
write slowly at first. If we should write slowly for that reason, then for 
the same reason we should do every thing slowly at first. A child 
crawls because it can 1 1 walk , but you can make movements about as ra¬ 
pidly from the beginning as you can afterward. 

Does a carpenter drive nails slowly at first? Does a boy learn to 
swim slowly at first? Does a boy learn to turn summersaults slowly at 
first ? Does a man learn to box slowly at first ? Do we learn to play 
ball slowly at first? Do we learn to -jump slowly at first ? Do we learn 
music slowly at first where speed is necessary? Did the earth move 
around the sun slowly at first ? Did lightening strike slowly at first? Are 
the movements of a little child while it yet crawls, slow at first, or does 
it make fifty motions of the hand and little body to your one? Slow writ¬ 
ing originated with the goose quill, when people used to draw their let¬ 
ters with the finger movement. At that time people moved from the 
eastern to the western shore on covered wagons in about six months ; 
now they make the same trip in a few days. At that time telegraphy 
w r as not known and the telephone was un-thought of. The sickle was 





28 fHYSJCAL JRAIJSTIJ'fG JN PEJ*M^N^JHP. 


used instead of the reaper ; the needle instead of the sewing machine. 
The following will show the rate of progress under the old system of 
writing slowly in order to get the form : 



No. i was written at a rate of about ten words per minute during 
the first lesson by a school boy. No. 2 was written after taking twelve 
lessons ; he has not gained any in speed. No. 3 was written at the rate 
of eight words per minute after taking one hundred lessons. George 
who wrote the above is highly complimented by his teacher and par¬ 
ents for his good writing and for the cleanliness of his copy book. 
“Write slow and try to make every letter better,” are the instructions 
of his teacher. George is so highly pleased with the compliments he 
receives that he would not venture a free muscular movement for fear 
he might make a mistake, a misstroke. No. 5 shows Georgie’s style of 
writing after he gets into business, where, on account of time, he is com¬ 
pelled to write fast. George now says that he is out of practice, that 
he was a good writer at one time. Now the fa£t is he never could write. 
He could draw but he could not write. 

Notice the rough kinky lines in his copies. What does that show ? 
It shows that the letters were made slowly and with hard labor and 
great difficulty. It shows zveakness in the extreme. There was no 
movement power there. Lines, letters and words did not flow from the 
point of the pen as easily as water runs down hill, when Georgie wrote. 
During the one hundred lessons, Georgie made only about sixteen 
thousand strokes of the pen, and those were made mostly with the 
wrong position, wrong penholding, wrong movement and incorrect 
speed, for Georgie paid but little attention to these things as he was 
never complimented on penholding, movement and speed. The follow¬ 
ing shows the rate of progress made by Willie Brown who was instructed 
that writing was a physical education ; that to make good letters on pa¬ 
per with the proper speed, was the end, and good position, penholding 
and movement were the means of accomplishing that end ; that form 
must necessarily be sacrificed at first in order to properly train the 
muscles of the arm and fingers ; that he cannot learn a rapid motion 
while practicing a slow one ; that the muscles are trained by repetition ; 
that he should strike out freely , boldly and rapidly , regardless of the re¬ 
sult. And he did dash off the lines right and left, and the following 
shows how he did it: 



fHYSJCAL LINING JN PEJYMAJ^SJHP. 


29 



£ Q'CLZJ 


No. 1 was written at the rate of about thirty-five per minute, and 
Willie was complimented for the good healthy position he maintained, 
and also for his good penholding, movement and speed, not too fast 
and not too slow. No. 2 was written after taking twelve lessons, and 
No. 3 after taking twenty-five. He still makes many misstrokes, but 
he executes his work very easily and rapidly. No. 4 was written after 
practicing one hundred hours, at the rate of twenty-five words per min¬ 
ute. He now seldom makes a misstroke, and writing is now a pleasure 
to him instead of a task. It is real skill and he will not lose it; he will 
not get out of practice when he writes business letters. Notice how 
smooth the lines are, showing a wonderful command over the pen. To 
Willie, slow writing is dead ; to Georgie rapid writing is a stranger. 
During the one hundred lessons Willie made over one hundred thousand 
repetitions , or strokes of the pen. ^ 


WRONG PENHOLDING, POSITION, MOVEMENT 
AND FORMS. 

It is not so necessary to learn the wrong way as it is to learn the 
right way. Several ways may be right and if you know all of them, you 
must know that all others must be wrong. To describe the various 
incorrect manners of holding the pen, would require a volume by itself, 
but the following illustration demonstrates the most popular way in 
which the pen is he’d bv those who give no attention to physical training: 





30 


fHYSJCAL JRAJNJTNG JN fENMAJVSHJP. 


The way in which to learn the right way is to learn the right way, 
and as a rule let the wrong way take care of itself. Knowing the right 
way, and seeing that it is not right, it certainly must be wrong. True, 
that frequently we can avoid mistakes by knowing beforehand what 
they are, but let our chief attention be directed to the right. These 
instructions will hold good in position, penholding, movement and 
form. You will not fail in the latter if you know what the right form 
is, and you are able to make it. 

TWELVE LESSONS 

IN 

PHYSICAL TRAINING IN PENMANSHIP. 

Although we have already given the reader a pretty full description 
of our methods of teaching writing, we can succeed in bringing the 
learner still closer to the aCtual work, and imbue him more fully with 
the importance of physical skill and the method of acquiring it, by 
giving a series of lessons with all necessary copies for the same. 

There are several methods of engraving copies, but usually pen 
work for learners is engraved by hand, in which case all errors of the 
original are carefully corrected by the engraver. In fact, the engraved 
copies are usually completely changed from the original, and do not at 
all represent the writing ol the author. The copies in copy-books, 
used in public schools, are, all hand engraved, and are useful only as 
far as the study of form is concerned. They are what we might call a 
dead letter, there is no life in them, and they represent nothing but a 
very stiff and deceptive lesson. 

All the letters accompanying the descriptions given in forepart of 
this work, were hand engraved, because such letters and description 
should convey an absolutely correct picture of the characters to be made. 
All the other copies were, with one or two exceptions, photo en¬ 
graved. A photo engraving gives an absolutely corredt fac-simile of 
the original, with but one exception, and that is that the copy may be 
reduced in size, if so desired. 

All the copies in these twelve lessons are photo engraved, and are 
therefore, exactly like the original which were written with a pen and 
ink by the author. In giving these copies, we assure our readers that 
we do nbt allow conceit to have the upper hand of us, and it is not the 
objedt of the author to “ show off” by giving copies so artistic and so 
elegant that but few can reach them. Indeed, we are confident that 
this plan of showing off has already been so thoroughly worked up that 
there would be no room left for us, even if we wished to do so. The 
following copies may be regarded the same as original copies direct 
from the pen, for in reality you could not tell the difference. The ob- 



fHYSJCAL JRAIJM^G JN fENMAJ^SHJP. 




je< 5 l of these copies is to give inspiration, otherwise hand engraved 
copies would be quite sufficient. The objed of these copies is 
not to give you absolutely correct forms (for that you must learn under 
the analysis of the letters ) but to give you inspiration and freedom of 
movement. The object is rather to show you how to practice. They 
are to show you that misstrokes under correct physical training is far 
better than correct strokes made under a slow movement with every 
thing reversed from what it should be. The way to teach these things 
effectively is to take the lead and give examples under the same cir¬ 
cumstances that we wish you to practice. These copies were, therefore, 
written with an easy rapid movement* without much effort at precision 
of form, just as we wish you to practice until you can hold your pen 
correctly, and until you have acquired an easy movement. Let us illus¬ 
trate a little further : 

Suppose an instructor was to teach you how to throw accurately at 
a mark. The first thing he would do would be to place the mark 
(which in penmanship would correspond in giving a true conception of 
the shape of a letter) and then he would undoubtedly throw at it under 
the same conditions that he wanted you to try. But the mark being 
pretty small and far off, you would not expert him to hit it each time. 
But when it came your turn to throw, would you not throw at the origi¬ 
nal mark instead of throwing at the mark he had made. In shooting 
mark, all aim at the one original mark, and so we wish you to do. If 
you do not understand the full shape of a letter, refer to the .description 
of it, and then strike out, hit or miss, until your muscles become lim¬ 
bered up. 

LESSON 1. 



Before commencing the above exercises, see description of pen¬ 
holding and position, and then instead of making much of an effort to 
get the above copy corre6t, throw your efforts mainly on the mainte¬ 
nance of correct position, pen holding and movement, let the form be 
what it may. Dash away boldly but very carefully, remembering that 
your success will depend upon the number of repetitions that you make, 
and upon the care in which they are made. Every thousand repetitions 
will leave a certain result, depending altogether on the care in which 
they are made. Change from one exercise to another, but not too 




32 


fHYSIjCAL JRAJJSTIJVG JN PENIYyiNSJf (P. 


frequently, at first. Use the muscular movement in all of the above ex¬ 
ercises. In the first exercise, you should make from 125 to 180 down¬ 
ward strokes a minute, and all the other exercises should be made with 
the same speed, in proportion. Avoid kinky or shaky lines, and 
whenever you notice them, increase your speed and they wiil all dis¬ 
appear. Cultivate judgment, and do not become a fanatic, even on 
speed. If you wish to draw an exercise slowly in order to understand 
its shape, you are at perfect liberty to do so, but do not draw all the time, 
remembering that you can not acquire speed by practicing the opposite. 
Do not make any false motions, that is using a movement without al¬ 
lowing the pen to touch the paper. While this might be allowed once 
in a while, you should not accustom yourself to it. Make every motion 
count. You should fill two sheets of fools-cap with the above exercises 
before taking up the next. The size of these exercises are well adapt¬ 
ed for ladies, but the boys may make them about one-third larger. Try 
to retain a uniform size and slant. 



The objeCfc of the little o exercise, is to learn to move the hand from 
left to right by leaving it slide on tips of third and fourth fingers. Pract¬ 
ice on this exercise diligently and vigorously, remembering that all of 
your mental faculties should be wide awake, ever watching for errors 
in position, form and movement. Remember that these exercises are 
given only as physical training exercises and in order that they may be 
the more natural and the more encouraging to the learner , they embody 
only a very ordinary degree of proficiency as far as foryn is concerned. 
And yet these copies have power and strength , which lies with the ease 
and rapidity of execution. Practice speed and as soon as you have a 
pretty good physical start, criticise form more closely. Review lesson 1. 

lesson 3 . 



Now, try your hand at the capital fold, making it quickly with the 






fHYSjCAL JRAI^IJVG IN PEJMM/NSHJP. 


33 


muscular movement. If you care for the plainest writing only, you can 
omit all shading in all of the exercises, but we give them in this book 
for the benefit of those who wish to use them. All of the above exer¬ 
cises should be made with the muscular movement, slight combined 
movement may, however, be employed in making the figures. Review 
penholding and position, and see description of movement. Also, see 
description of above letters that you may not err in the knowledge of 
them. Do not draw any of these exercises, but write them. Review 
previous lessons. Never sacrifice a knowledge of form, but keep the 
mark you are aiming at constantly before you, whether you can make it 
or not. Do not get discouraged or even think of it until you have care¬ 
fully used up a quarter of a ream of paper under these instru6lions. If 
you have been drawing your letters heretofore, you need not expert 
much more than to spoil your old style, of writing during the first 
twenty-five hours, so that you can write neither way, but every thing 
will show up to your advantage in the end. We are not curing pimples 
temporary by driving them back into the system, but we drive them out 
by purifying the blood, and we assure you that in this way the cure will 
be permanent and satisfactory, though it may take a little longer. 
When once you have your muscles trained for speed and ease, you will 
never lose your skill in writing. It will be permanent. When you hear 
persons say that at one time they were good writers, but lost it because 
they got into business where they had to write fast, you may be assured 
that they never could write — they never trained their muscles for 
speed, never pra&iced the muscular movement. 

LESSON 4. 



In this lesson we have the capital stem and all the short letters. 
Before commencing to pradice, you may look up the description of 
these letters so that you will thoroughly understand every element of 
which they are composed. You may then pra6tice on the capital stem 
with and without flourish. Make from a hundred to one hundred and 
fifty per minute. Now pradice the letters singly, commencing with the 
simplest one, little i. Note the curves carefully and then make them 
with the muscular movement. A slightly combined movement may be 
used for the last eight letters. Do not make them too large, though 
you may make them somewhat larger than copy. Write the word Tin, 



34 


fHYSipAL JRAINIJVG JN fEJVMAJVSHIP. 


making from twenty to thirty per minute. Speed must be pra&iced in 
order to get it, but you are expefted to cultivate it and increase it, so 
that you need not overdo it at the start. Before closing this lesson, 
you may practice earnestly on the oval exercise and on the capital fold. 
Make them with and without shade. Do not shade any of the small 
letters except little a and r. Always maintain a good position and use 
the right movement for the exercise you are making. 

LESSON 5. 



In this lesson we have three pretty hard letters to make, the D, A 
and E. Practice on each one, throwing all of your mental and physical 
energy into the work. See description of these letters, and then make 
with the muscular movement, avoiding shades at first. To write the 
word Eve without raising the pen will be rather difficult at first, but 
through continued application you can accomplish this movement. 

Now try t, d, p and q , noting that the first three are only two spaces 
high above the base line and last two, one and a half spaces below base. 
Write the word pin and the words in second line. Also Review little r 
and little straight line. You may try to write the word running by leav¬ 
ing your hand slide on tips of third and fourth fingers without stopping 
until the word is completed. This is the true business style of writing 
and must be accomplished. Do not get discouraged but fill acres with 
these exercises. Never expe6t too much. Do not look for too much 
improvement until you have written up carefully one half ream of paper. 
Do you know what scribbling is ? It is careless practice. This is a 
short definition but it is a good one. Never scribble. If you want to 
save paper, avoid scribbling. No matter how poor your writing may 
be, as long as it is intelligently and carefully made, it is not scribbling. 

LESSON 6. 



Write the words given in first line observing carefully your position, 



f HYSJCAL JRAI/njVG JN f EN^lANSJilP 


35 


penholding and movement. Do not scatter the words all over the pa¬ 
per but try to write them neatly and uniformly. Avoid all flourishes, 
and also write these words without interlarding them with other exer¬ 
cises. While we should constantly review and praCfice the elements 
and principles, we should also be able to govern ourselves in practicing 
one exercise when necessary. I have known too many learners who 
had such an unmethodical system of practice that it was almost impos¬ 
sible for them to write plain words without interlarding them with num¬ 
erous flourishes and other exercises by the hundred. Therefore, do not 
fall into this weakness but fill up four pages of the above words without 
making a single other exercise until you get through. After that, you 
may practice on the figures and loop letters given above. Before 
commencing on these letters try the extended loop, being care¬ 
ful to make the downward stroke straight. Obse.rve that the first four 
extend three spaces above the base line, and the last four two spaces 
below' the base line. Never shade the last four below the line. The 
loop letters should always be made with the combined movement. 

Cultivate not only your muscles but your will power as well. Your 
success depends almost wholly on your will—your determinaton. The 
best penman had to work hard for all of his skill; he wrote up reams of 
paper, and always with a firm belief that he would some day accomplish 
his purpose. 

LESSON 7 . 



PraClice on the exercises given in first line, making them with pure 
muscular movement and very rapidly. Try them then with and without 
shade. The small letters in this line should not be made quite so rap¬ 
idly a&there are too many little lines and curves to watch. Join them 
as given in copy. Study carefully the tops of little r, s and c. 
You may then write the words “Jamestown” and “Wooster,” after 
which make the little f exercise. You may apply one ton of energy 
and perseverance to this lesson. Before closing this lesson you may 
take a thorough drill on speed by writing the word “Wooster.” When¬ 
ever you lose legibility through too much speed, you must check up on 
it and write more slowly, and write only as fast as you can by maintain¬ 
ing legibility. Speed may be overdone as well as slow writing. 






36 


fHYSJCAL JRAIJMIJfGJN PE/M,AN£JfIP. 


In shorthand the main object is speed, and for that reason it is very 
often the case that students will write faster than they ought to. 

LESSON 8. 





In making the above capital letters, do not repeat any, but write all 
of them in regular succession. Write them fifty times, and then mark 
all the poorest ones in each set. In this way you can learn which letters 
are the most difficult to make, and you can then give them some extra 
attention. You can also try these letters without shade. Do not scat¬ 
ter them all over the paper but try to get them neat and compact. Use 
the muscular movement. Always have the capital J extend below the 
base line two spaces, and never allow the / to extend below the line—a 
mistake that many make. 


LESSON 9. 









Here we have the small letters all in one group in regular succes¬ 
sion, in which way you may write them. Nearly the entire bulk of man¬ 
uscript consists of small letters, the capital occurring only here and 
there, so you may know that these letters are of the greatest import¬ 
ance. You may write them fifty times in regular succession without re¬ 
peating any one of them in the same group. You must study the forms 






f HYSJCAL JRAIJVIJ'fG JN f ENjVlANSJfIP. 


very carefully in the descriptive part of the book, and then make them 
as nearly as possible in accordance to the pi&ures impressed upon your 
mind. 

LESSON 10. 



We now come to sentence writing. You may write the above sen¬ 
tence, being very careful in regard to form and slant of letters. Write 
in about the style of the first two lines. After writing the sentence in 
this way about fifty times, you may increase your speed, writing from 
twenty-five to thirty words per minute; this you ought to be able to do 
and still maintain about the same degree of legibility as seen in the last 
two lines of this lesson. All, however, cannot write that fast, and they 
should never sacrifice too much form for speed in sentence writing. 

LESSON 11. 

The object of this lesson is to put you upon your own resources. You 
may write your own copy. You are supposed to have a good knowl¬ 
edge of the forms of letters, and a knowledge of how they should be 
made. You may now put this knowledge into practice according to 
your own judgment. You will find the copies in your memory, I hope, 
and as you will have to use them on your own accord some day, you 
might as well begin now. We do not wish you to become a mere copy¬ 
ing machine, but we wish you to become a practical writer. Too many 
copies may prove a detriment instead of an aid as pupils will never ac¬ 
quire that original arrangement, which is absolutely essential for prac¬ 
tical workers. Rely on yourself, and then strike out boldly but cautious¬ 
ly. When you get discouraged on account of your poor writing, take 
encouragement from the fact that your conception of form must be 
good, otherwise you could not see so many mistakes in your work. 
Train your muscles for speed, and write up at least one ream of paper 
before expecting too much. Also, remember the amount of paper re¬ 
quired to improve your writing to a certain degree, depends on the 
care in which you practice. But do not imagine that you can not write 





3 8 


fHYSJCAL JRAIJVIJVG JN ^ENMAJ^SHJP. 


carefully without writing slowly. That is an old and still a very popu¬ 
lar theory, but it is a wrong one. 

LESSON 12 . 

For this lesson you may review the entire work given in the fore 
part of this book, and be able to answer all of the following questions : 

Which requires the most skill, to know how a letter is to be made, 
or to make it? What, then, is the real difficulty in writing? How can 
you prove this ? Why can not an artist write better than he usually 
does ? Upon what conditions is this system of physical training based ? 
What is the difference between writing and drawing ? Describe the 
muscular movement. Describe the combined movement. Give a 
careful description of the correct position at desk. Can you assume 
this position? How high ought a desk to be for an average person? 
Ans .— Thirty inches . Through what are the muscles trained ? Ans .— 
Through repetitions. How are the muscles trained for speed ? How 
are the muscles trained fora slow motion? Can you train the muscles 
for speed by practicing a slow motion ? How much paper ought a per¬ 
son to write up carefully before deciding that he can not learn to write 
well? Ans. — Two reams. About how many repetitions does it re¬ 
quire, on an average, for a person of the proper age to become a good 
writer ? Ans.—About 25,000,000 strokes of the pen, zuhich can be accom¬ 
plished in from ten to twenty weeks. Into what three groups are the 
small letters divided ? You may analyze all the small letters ? Which 
is the widest letter ? Which is the narrowest letter ? What letter re¬ 
versed, will form another letter? Which letter is used as a basis of 
measurement ? What three letters are two spaces high ? What two 
letters extend below the line a space and a half? What eleven letters 
are exa6tly one space high ? What two letters are a space and a quar¬ 
ter high? Analyze all the capital letters. What capital letter is used 
the most frequently? Ans.—Capital E. Is shading necessary in plain 
business writing ? Ans. — No. 

QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 

Question. How many and what are essential factors of business 
writing ? 

Answer. There are only two, legibility and speed. 

Q. Which of these is the most important ? 

A. They go hand in hand. Speed without any legibility makes 
writing valueless, and legibility without any speed amounts to about the 
same thing. Legible writing may, however, be done without what is 
popularly regarded as speed, and still have value, but strictly speaking 



f HYSJCAL JOINING JN PEJ'TMAJVSJfIP. 


39 


writing can not be done without speed, so there is not much difference. 

Q. Ought not both these factors be taught by instructors of pen¬ 
manship ? 

A. Why not ? As well might you ask me whether arithmetic ought 
not to be taught in our schools. Any thing that is worth having, ought 
to be imparted. 

Q. Why then, is it that speed is not generally taught in our schools ? 

A. Because it is not generally needed during writing hours, and 
the teachers do not look to the interest of the students five or ten years 
hence. Also, as the muscles must be trained for speed, form ai first 
must necessarily be sacrificed, and the teachers desire that that sacrifice 
be made after they leave the school rooms. They prefer that their 
scholars show splendid results in beauty of form, and then leave speed 
pay the debt in the future. Every thing is done to show up good re¬ 
sults for the present, and the future is left to take care of itself. It is 
like the man who buys every thing on credit, but when the bills begin 
to roll in he finds himself in a very sorry plight. Speed is a fador that 
is not needed in the school room, and why should the teachers worry 
their heads about speed and get le^s credit for beauty of form ? Besides 
they are not in proper condition to fully appreciate speed, the school 
room being so different from the store room, or counting room. They 
do not teach it because they never gave it enough attention to know 
that it can be taught. In fad, they never thought of it. They believe 
the best way to acquire it, is to let it alone. Many go even further than 
this and claim that the best way to attain speed, is to pradice the op¬ 
posite. 

Q. Would they apply the same principles in training a race horse? 

A. Certainly. They would never allow that horse to run. They 

would give him just half a mile a day and thirty minutes time to make 
the distance, just as they give one line of writing a day and thirty min¬ 
utes to do it in. 

R. Would you teach speed from the beginning ? 

A. Would I teach algebra from the beginning ? The time for teach¬ 
ing any thing depends on the age and capacity of the scholar. Speed 
is a growth and can not be pradiced from the very beginning, but I 
teach it either directly or indirectly from the start. If I do not teach it 
directly then I lay a good foundation for it by teaching corred position, 
penholding and movement, and even these may be too much for a very 
small child. Generally, however, speed can be faithfully practiced at 
the age of eight or ten years. 

Q. In short hand, speed is of even more importance than in long 
hand; is it taught rapidly from the start? 

A. Like my method of teaching speed in penmanship, the best in¬ 
structors teach rapidity from the very beginning, either directly or indi- 



4 o 


fHYSipAL JRAINIJMG JN j 3 EJMMAJVSHL . 


rectly. But speed is so important a fa&or that neither scholars nor 
teachers are likely to ignore it, and for this reason it is sometimes over¬ 
done. Also, there are many more characters to learn, the forms of 
which must be acquired before speed can be put into practice. The 
simpler characters should be made rapidly just as in penmanship. But 
the entire attention should not be given to speed alone. Good judg¬ 
ment should be used in the practice of short hand and penmanship. I 
have seen schools where students would assume various positions and 
penholding, giving all of their attention to form, drawing them slowly. 
In all such cases a great change must take place before they can acquire 
speed, and it is hard to make this change when they have already cul¬ 
tivated so many wrong habits. The teaching of speed should most 
certainly begin at the start. 

Q. Where do you get your theory of teaching speed ? 

A. From all nature. There is not an animal that knows how to 
run but what it has put forth its best efforts on speed. There is not a 
pugilist but what has reached the limits of his skill again and again 
with the hope of expanding it. All active animals practice agility of 
motion. The turtle and snail do not practice rapidity, and look at the 
result ; they are the slowest animals in the world. In playing ball, 
rapidity is not ignored from the start, and look at the result! In driv¬ 
ing nails with a hammer, it is done rapidly right from the beginning, 
though many a nail is bent or broken through misstrokes, but the work¬ 
er pegs away until finally great dexterity and precision of motion is 
attained. In playing the little game jackstone, speed is necessary at 
the start, and I have seen little children go through the entire game 
without making one mistake, difficult as it is. 

Q. Ought not penmanship be taught slowly at first because a child 
must first learn to crawl before it can walk ? 

A. No one would think of teaching speed in penmanship before 
the child can both walk and run, but it is not best to compel a child to 
crawl after it can run. Speed is a habit and must be acquired, and be¬ 
cause the learner fails at first, is no reason why he should not try again. 
In faCt, it is through failure that we learn. 

Q. Does your method of physical training apply as well to short 
hand as to penmanship ? 

A. Certainly. Let those who wish to learn short hand, acquire 
the habit of an easy healthy position at desk, correct penholding, and 
then pra&ice speed on the simple charadlers, such as the consonants t y 
d, p , b, ch, j, m y n and others. It is far better to start out right than 
to be compelled to unlearn afterwards. 

Q. I have heard the teaching of speed from the beginning ridi¬ 
culed. Is there any thing in it ? 

A. Ridicule is nothing more nor less than an exaggeration. The 



fHYSJCAL JRAJNJNG JN f EJNM/JVSHJP. 




truth is so exaggerated that it seems ridiculous. The lawyer often pro¬ 
duces his strongest arguments through this powerful weapon. The 
truth, however, remains the same. We can exaggerate any thing and 
for awhile make it seem very funny, but the trouble is, we are not look¬ 
ing at it as it is, but at the exaggeration. Let a person look into a mir¬ 
ror where his face is reflected in a greatly deformed condition, two feet 
long and three inches wide, and he will look very funny. Have you 
ever looked into such a mirror? It is a good illustration of what ridi¬ 
cule is. I once saw an illustration of a carriage with its occupants 
falling off behind. The driver had suddenly whipped up the horses 
with a view of .starting rapidly from the beginning. The editor gave 
this illustration with a view of ridiculing speed in penmanship at the 
start. While the pifture was quite entertaining it did not at all repre¬ 
sent speed as applied to writing. It was ridicule, or in other words an 
exaggeration. The initiatory to speed is position, penholding and 
movement, and from the age of from six to eight, these should receive 
paramount attention. The man in the carriage who does not believe in 
speed ought not to use so lively an animal as a horse ; he should use 
either camels or big turtles shipped from the South. 

Q. What is your idea about so many copies? Most systems of 
penmanship furnish a great many copies. 

A. As long as the copies intended for business writers are plain, 
they can do no particular harm as far as form is concerned, but they 
leave the impression that form is difficult and in this way misdired 
the applications of the learner. They also have a tendency to discour¬ 
age the student, as those copies are usually hand engraved and repre¬ 
sent what can never be done through the capacity of purely business 
writing. The learner requires two sets of copies : the exa< 5 t forms of all 
the letters, hand engraved, and a set of copies written with a view of 
drawing attention to physical training. The latter should be photo-en-' 
graved, or dired from the pen. 

Q. But truly, your method will not show up so well as others. Do 
you not think a great many beautifully engraved copies will show up to 
better advantage, and receive the admiration of the public ? 

A. What you say is quite true, but we are not seeking the admira¬ 
tion of the public at their expense. We propose to advocate a system 
that will do the public most good. We think it is time that the public 
should admire their own written copies, instead of admiring a delusion 
and a snare. Those copy-books are a delusion because they do not 
represent writing, and they are a snare because they are misleading, 
wrongly educating the people to draw the letters slowly instead of 
writing them. Let ns take a parallel case in art. If you would wish to 
become a great painter would it be best to surround yourself with all 
of the finest paintings in the world ? or would it be better to have before 



42 


f HYSJCAL JRAIJVING IN PEJ^M/NSHJP. 


you only the simpler elements of drawing ? True, a certain amount of 
time should be devoted in seeing what can be done, but to make it a 
hobby of only gazing and looking instead of doing the work is certainly 
not advisable. An artist would keep before you mainly the copies of 
the elements of drawing, and not the great works of art, much less 
would he ensnare you by misrepresenting the manner in which those 
great works were done. 

Q. Would you encourage artistic writing? 

A. Certainly, but not without system. Plain writing is so closely 
connected with art and beauty that many err in trying both and never 
succeed in either. Flourishes added to the letters tend to make them 
illegible, especially when the work is poorly done. Artistic writing 
should begin where plain writing ends, so that it is always best to com¬ 
plete the latter before beginning the former. Those of our readers who 
desire to learn artistic penmanship should first master this course of 
plain writing. 

Q. Should only the pure muscular movement be used ? 

A. If you mean by pure muscular movement that the fingers should 
not at times be used independently of the motion of the arm, then I say 
no. In the loop letters the fingers are used in union with the arm 
movement, and the same is true in some of the short letters, such as 
the s, r, c and a. Generally the pure muscular movement is used in all 
the capitals. Of all the movements the muscular is the most powerful, 
and should generally prevail. 

Q. What is a good hand-writing worth ? 

A. That depends upon the nature of one’s educational qualifications 
and upon his vocation, and other circumstances. To some people it is 
worth from $50,000 to $100,000. To a few it may not be worth more 
than $100. But to any one who possesses common sense, a good hand 
writing is worth at the lowest estimation $500, no matter whether he is 
a day laborer, or does other unskilled labor. To a professional or 
business man it is worth far more. With our present mail facilities one 
is enabled to converse with his friends all over the country, and if he is 
ready with the pen, the amount of pleasure and profit derived from 
such correspondence in a life time, can hardly be estimated. 

Q. But are not typewriters taking the place of pens ? 

A. No ; they are only adding to the records and the correspond¬ 
ence that is being done. That is, twice as much writing is now being 
done than was before the advent of the typewriters. All records made 
in books, must be done with pen and ink, as a machine can not be used 
in such work. Typewriting holds a place between printing and long- 
hand writing, and its value is estimated accordingly. Many of the larg¬ 
est firms are beginning to use the pen again, knowing that a letter 
thus written is more highly valued. 



f HYS1£AL JRAJJVIJNG JN PENM/NSJilP. 


43 


g. Name orietty the superiority of your system of physical training 
over the copy-book, or slow drawing method. 

A. It is permanent; the learner never loses his skill as it is firmly 
planted within the muscles. He need undergo no change of writing 
when he leaves the school room or fireside for the business rooms. 

Having speed his writing is worth much more, as his time is money. 
It can be acquired in one twentieth the time. The muscles being thor¬ 
oughly trained, the writing is done as easily as your feet carry you over 
the ground. 

Q. What applications control one’s progress in practicing writing? 

A. Mental application and physical repetitions. Make ten thous¬ 
and repetitions with very little mental energy directed to the work, 
and the progress will be slow. The two should work in union. The 
greatest trouble with many learners, is that they are all the time look¬ 
ing for improvement to turn up, like a gold mine, instead of working 
for it. 

As a rule, nothing can be acquired without working for it. Every 
learner of this instructor should keep a correCt record of the amount 
of aClual time devoted to practice. Do not count days but hours. Days 
are too indefinite. Do not count a full hour simply because you sit at 
the table that length of time. In recording time always deduCt the 
time lost in talking or in doing nothing. For instance, if you prac¬ 
tice one hour but lose fifteen minutes in pondering over your discour¬ 
agement, you mustdedua those fifteen minutes and call it only forty- 
five minutes of aCtual work. By observing these instruftions, you will 
bemiore liable to put in good time. 

Q. How long a time is usually required to acquire a good ordinary 
business hand writing ? 

A. About two hundred hours, if practiced in accordance to above 
instruaions. 

Q. Would you advise praaicing with the left hand, just for a 
change ? 

A. Most certainly not. Why praaice with both hands and then 
not be able to w r rite with either? It does not pay to divide energy and 
skill. 

Q. But if a person is left-handed, would you teach him to write 
with the right hand ? 

A. That depends on circumstances. If a person has already ac¬ 
quired a pretty good hand-writing with the left hand, I would not have 
him to change. 

Q. At what age would you have children to use pen and ink? 

A. At the age of eight or ten years. Before that age they had 
better use long lead pencils, but they should hold them in the same 
manner as they would a penholder. Short pencils should not be used 




44 


fHYSIjCAL JRAINIJVG JN f EJMMAjMSHIP. 


as they create a wrong method of penholding. 

Q. Is much speed necessary in artistic writing? 

A. No, though enough speed should be used to produce smooth 
lines, which can not be done in drawing them slowly. 

Q. Would you advise the pradtice of writing with music in order 
to keep time ? 

A. No. It would only be abusing both ; they do not go together. 
The past has demonstrated that the feet keep pace with music far bet¬ 
ter than the hands. Music certainly detracts attention of the student 
to its own beauty, and when it is produced it deserves entire attention. 

Q. Do you believe in retracing perfect copies in order to get the 
form ? 

A. As a constant practice, I believe it is not profitable to a stu¬ 
dent’s rapid advancement, but to a few who have not a good concep¬ 
tion of form, it may be of advantage. 

Q. There is a general prejudice aganst fine penmen by business 
men ; why is it ? 

A. Because a business man knows , what practical writing is, and 
the way it has been taught by most of our professional teachers, both 
speed and legibility have been wanting. I well remember when I first 
taught my writing class, I had a little experience, which has something 
to do with my present system. I had a big class at Warren,Ohio, and 
I solicited a scholarship from a butcher, who was a highly gifted busi¬ 
ness man. He had a few children whom I thought I could induce to 
enter my school, and, in fadt, he had expressed a willingness to send 
his children provided I would teach them plain, rapid writing that they 
could use in a business capacity. Being young and inexperienced, I fol¬ 
lowed the footsteps of others, by calling on the butcher and exhibiting 
a few cards written in my most artistic style. This is what the butcher 
said : “That writing is too fine. No one can write like that and do 
business at the same time. If you intend to lead my children into ar¬ 
tistic flourishes like that, I can not send them to your school. ” And 
he did not send them. At the time I thought the butcher a fool, but 
after many years’ experience and researches, I have concluded that he 
knew more at that time of the business utility of pradtical writing than 
I did. The teaching of artistic flourishes, artistic forms, artistic move¬ 
ments, artistic mental habits, is not what the business men want. The 
physical and mental applications in artistic work, are entirely different 
from that used in plain rapid writing. 




































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ORGANIZING AND TEACHING 
CLASSES. 


Penmanship is not at a par with other branches because people do 
not appreciate it, or because they do not give enough time to it, but be¬ 
cause they do not understand it. They work on form and fail in move- * 
ment and do not know it; they do not know what is wrong. Thous¬ 
ands of young men and women are needed in every state to organize 
and teach classes in the country districts, villages and cities in order 
that this apparently neglected branch may be advanced so it will stand 
on an equality with other branches. 

We say apparently negleCted because it is seldom willfully neglect¬ 
ed. The business men, farmers and laborers, infant everybody, appreci¬ 
ates it, and if a teacher can give them any light that would likely change 
their scribbling into an easy, rapid and legible hand, they will grasp 
the opportunity at once and pay a fair price for his services. As we 
wish to do all we can to advance the art of writing we would not con¬ 
sider this volume complete until we have given some good hints on 
organizing and teaching classes, as this book will get into the hands of 
many a good writer who is fully competent to take charge of a writing 
class. 

During the winter evenings a large class can be organized in nearly 
every district and town. Good wages can be made by traveling and 
teaching penmanship as a business. At first it will be somewhat risky, 
tut: it gives you a golden opportunity to acquire business talent—talent 
that demands higher wages than any other. When you organize and 
teach your own classes you are relying upon yourself; your success 
will depend upon your own ingenuity and efforts. You will become a 
better teacher ; you will become better acquainted with human nature 
and business than if you were merely filling a position as teacher in 
public schools. Public school teachers are generally impracticable, 
and why ? Because they get their wages and have nothing to do but to 
hear the classes recite. 

The traveling teacher of penmanship must thoroughly understand 
his business or he will be the loser. He must study how to please his 
audience the first evening and how to retain it. He must study how to 
advertise and how to induce his scholars to try to bring in new ones. 
He will become acquainted with successful men and learn the secrets 
of their success, and he will also discover why some men fail. There 


4 8 


fHYSJCAL JRAIJVIJSTG JN fENMAJ^SHJP. 


are hundreds of useful qualifications which he will learn that would re¬ 
ceive hardly any attention were he teaching for a salary. 

The young man that travels and teaches classes of his own and 
makes $200 a year, clear, is much belter off at the end of a year than 
the man that stays in one room all the year, teaching for a salary of 
$1,000 a year. The first party is continually gaining knowledge, and 
his income will increase proportionately, so that at the end of three 
years he may make $2,000 a year while the other party may be out of 
a position waiting for some one else to “take him up.” No young pen- 
• man should ever wait for a position. 

Roll up your sleeves and go to work, and after a while you will find 
you can mqke your oivn positions as fast as you can take care of them. 
In the summer, farmers are too busy, and you should organize in towns 
of from five hundred to five thousand inhabitants ; in the winter you can 
teach anywhere and have large classes. The following qualifications 
are necessary to a successful organizer and teacher of writing schools. 

1. He must be a skillful penman. 

2. He must be a good teacher. 

3. He must have business talent. 

The first is very important as it helps you greatly in the second, 
and you also receive the confidence of the people. If you can write 
legibly and rapidly, the people will at once conclude that you are a 
teacher who knows something about penmanship. Good black board 
writing is very necessary as you make your most effective impression 
at the blackboard the first evening in connexion with your speech. 

You should be a skillful writer , in preference to a skilled pen 
drawer, and then you should explain the difference between the two ; 
the former requires more movement power than conception of form, 
while the last requires more taste in form than movement, and can be 
made slowly. 

HE MUST BE A GOOD TEACHER. 

In order to be a good teacher you must have good language so you 
can explain all you know, and a “little more.” You must know how 
to encourage your scholars and how to interest them. You must know 
how to keep good order. You should study the nature of all the schol¬ 
ars, as you can then teach them to great advantage. You must make 
teaching a study and solve it the same as you would hard problems in 
arithmetic. You must study the real difficulties that hinder the pro¬ 
gress of your scholars, and then show them the best method of over¬ 
coming those difficulties. 

A real good teacher can teach much more than he can do himself, 
but a very poor teacher can not teach one hundredth part of what he 
knows. Teaching is a study of itself, and because a person can write 




f HYSJCAL JRAINING JN PEJSfMAJVSJflP. 


49 


well is as yet no reason that he can teach. A teacher should give all of 
his time to the scholars during the lesson. He should not be seated 
at his desk writing out copies. He will do them more good by keeping 
them in proper position, and see to it that they hold the pen correctly, 
use the correct movement and the correct time. He should be on his 
feet almost continually. 

Penmanship is a regular drill and it is not so necessary to repeat 
the copies, as it is to give pupils proper instructions and keep them i n 
terested. Copies of the proper grade should be given. The teacher 
should write an exercise on the board, then give the time for making 
it by counting. He should then visit each student, and place the same 
exercise on his paper while standing. 

BUSINESS TALENT. 

It is business talent that brings you success. It constitutes good 
management; makes the most out of everything ; turns failures into 
success, and brings your business before the people in the most plausi¬ 
ble manner. If you wish to have good business talent, you must seek 
it in the open air, and not within the lids of a book alone, for you will 
not find it there. Good common sense and a knowledge of human na¬ 
ture are important qualities of business talent. 

You must ascertain in what place a writing school would pay the 
best, and you must know when and how to advertise with the most 
effeCt. 

There are many penmen who are not benefiting the world nor 
themselves much with their penmanship, because they lack business 
talent. Such penmen are frequently picked up by a second party 
who knows how to make money out of a good thing, and employed at a 
meager salary, the second party realizing most of the profits. Jennie 
Lind was at one time the best singer in the world, but P. T. Barnum, a 
business man, made more money out of her singing than she did. 

Work for yourself; organize your own classes ; do your own adver¬ 
tising, and if you fail, you will get the benefit of your own experience. 
If you will keep on, you will become a good business man, which may 
be worth thousands of dollars to you. 

STARTING OUT. 

When you are ready to start out to organize a class, the first thing 
you should do is to look up a location. Most any place will do, for you 
will not have much opposition ; but some places are better than others, 
and you must use your own judgment in deciding on the best location. 
Try to strike a place where there is not mu ch going on, but avoid a 
place where the people are not enterprising. 

After deciding on a pi ace try to see the principal of the schools 



50 


'PHYSJCAL JRAIJVIJVG JN fEN^VlANSJIIP. 


first. Inform him that you intend to organize a writing school at that 
place, and that you should be pleased to have his opinion on the mat¬ 
ter ; that you would consider it a favor if he would attend your school 
to see your method of teaching. 

Tell him that you would also give him a complimentary for one or 
two of his friends. Then show him some of your off hand writing, 
and some of your circulars containing a few good testimonials. Also, 
explain the system you teach and inform him of your previous success. 

If it is your first attempt you need not, of course, say anything about 
your previous success. Kindly ask his consent for a room in the school 
building, and state to him that you would see to it that it was kept nice 
and clean, that you was always very particular about keeping the room 
clean and neat. 

In nearly all cases you can easily secure his consent to let you 
have a room, but he will refer you to the board of directors, and as 
they have charge of the building, you must, of course, get the room 
from them. Secure their names from the teacher and then see them, 
and after speaking to them in the same manner that you did to the 
teacher, kindly ask them for a room. In most cases they will refer 
you to the teacher, as they would not like to give a room against his 
consent, but you can tell them that you just saw the teacher ; here state 
what the teacher said. In smaller towns you will nearly always suc¬ 
ceed in getting a school room, but in large places you will not be so 
successful, as they employ a regular janitor and condudt every thing in 
a more scientific method. 

In larger places you must secure some other suitable room and pay 
a rent for the same. You can sometimes manage to borrow chairs and 
tables, but in most cases you will not succeed. You will not have as 
much trouble to get the chairs as the tables. In such cases the author 
usually had temporary tables made at the planing mill, and afterward 
sold them for lumber. If it is not the intention to remain long at one 
place then it is best to organize in smaller places. 

ADVERTISING. 

After you have a room then you should commence to advertise at 
once. Advertise liberally ; let every man, woman, boy and girl know 
that there is going to be a writing school. Advertise in different ways. 
Write free cards for the children ; if you can please them r they will do % 
effective advertising for you. You should have large display bills print¬ 
ed. They should contain specimens of penmanship, cuts on correct 
and incorre< 5 t penholding, and illustrations on position. 

They should also contain blank spaces to be filled out so you can 
use them at different places. You should have one posted at every 
conspicuous place in the town. 





fHYSJCAL JRAIJVIJVG [N PEJVM/NSHJP. 


There are many different forms for getting up large posters. We 
give a sample of an abridged one on next page. 

Of course, you must arrange the bill in accordance to the system 
you intend to teach. A poster twenty by twelve inches, displayed with 
cuts on penmanship, and printed on good book paper, will do more 
good than several hundred cheap circulars. If you have not the neces¬ 
sary cuts for such a poster, you had better have some ordered at a pen 
art school. You should also have an advertisement inserted in every 
paper published in the town (if there are any) concerning your school. 

It is also necessary to have circulars printed to make known to the 
people how you are getting along. Hang some of your specimens in 
the post-office after receiving permission from the postmaster. Adver¬ 
tising is like sowing ; you do not always receive the benefits at once, 
but it always pays in the end. Inexperienced advertisers always expert 
too much from the start. 

You must arouse the curiosity of the people, and you can do that 
by advertising. If you do not advertise some folks will say, “Oh ! it is 
only a writing school,” and others will never hear of your school. If 
they stumble against some of your advertisements every day, they will 
say,“Well, what is that teacher doing anyhow?” You have aroused 
their curiosity. When they begin to inquire, they commence to investi¬ 
gate, and when they investigate they often conclude that it might be a 
good thing for them, or some of their friends. 

PLUCK AND PLOD. 

It takes pluck and plod to make a success of any thing, and teach¬ 
ing penmanship is no exception. Leave out all i/s. Do not say, “If I 
can get twenty scholars, I will stay two weeks, and if I don’t get a doz¬ 
en I’ll not teach the class.” Say, “I intend to remain here two weeks 
I should be pleased to have you call and see my method. I shall com¬ 
mence my class tomorrow evening.” 

Use pluck and plod when they are needed. When there is 
no danger , you do not know a brave man from a coward. If you get a 
large class the first evening,then you need not try so hard and you will 
succeed anyhow. But after all your advertising, if you should have an 
audience of only two or three, which will sometimes be the case, then 
is the time you must be brave , then is the time you will need your 
pluck and plod. Do not give up , you must not think of such a thing. 
Rather say in your own nind, “Well this is the time it tries a person’s 
pluck, and I am going to show these people what I can do, I am going 
to make this a success. 

FIRST LESSON. 

You will get most of your scholars after the first lesson is over. 
You must not expert every body to come the first evening. You must 



FREE TO ALL! 

3 IiecpY^e qqd 3essox\ oq 

PHYSICAL TRAINIHC 

IN RAPID 

ING! 

On . 

PHYSICAL TRAINING IN PENMANSHIP 

Is based on the following faCts, which prove its adaptability : 

1. That movement, control of muscles of arm and fingers, is the 
real difficulty in learning to write. 

2. That to learn the forms of the letters, is not difficult. 

3. That the muscles are trained by careful repetitions. 

4. That a slow movement and a rapid movement are contrary to 
each other, and you cannot learn one while practicing and encouraging 
the other. 

5. That rapid, legible writing is valuable and slow writing is al¬ 
most useless. 

Permanent Improvement Made By Physical Skill. 



The above shows the real improvement made under this System ; 
there is no sham about it, and it is permanent for the reason that the 
student need not undergo any change afterwards in the application of 
his writing to business. 

Terms, —Twenty-five Lessons for $3.00. Private lessons from 50c 
to $1.00 each, depending on place of meeting. Special Introductory 
Hate, —In order to introduce the new System and my method of teach¬ 
ing, 1 will give the first twelve lessons for $1.25, and besides, give each 
member a copy of “Bixler’s Physical Training in Penmanship,” the 
best practical work on writing ever published. 

J. E. MILLER, Penman. 





fHYSJCAL JRAJNJNG JN fEJ^M^JVSHJP. 


53 


make it a rule to do as you advertise, and not give up if you should 
have only two or three the first evening. The author of this work has 
had an extensive experience in traveling, organizing and teaching 
classes, and in the majority of cases he received most of his scholars 
after the first and second lessons were given. Charge those who come 
m afterward only from the time they start till the end of the term. You 
should prepare a good speech for the occasion. If you have only a 
few the first evening you might start out something like this : 

“Ladies and gentlemen : I always like to build up. I would rath¬ 
er start with a small class and build up a large one, than to commence 
with a large class and have them all leave before I close the term 
Being a stranger to you, I did not exped a large audience to-night. 
You know nothing of my teaching, and it is only after the people of 
this town are convinced by experience that my method gives satisfac¬ 
tion, that I expea them to patronize me. It is nearly always the case 
that my school builds up after the first and second lessons.” 

Then explain thoroughly the system and method of teaching. 
Give them a regular drill in movement exercises, position and penhold- 
ing. Have them to write with their left hand to show the result of hav¬ 
ing a poor control over the muscles. Place letters on the board and 
have them criticise them, thus proving that they know but cannot make. 
Explain to them how the muscles are trained. Make it as interesting 
and be as enthusiastic as though you had a hundred scholars. While 
they are practicing on some exercise, visit each one, and procure his 
name as a pupil, if possible. If any refuse, kindly ask them to visit the 
class again the next evening, and to bring their friends. 

Before closing, offer a small prize to each one that will bring you a 
new student; also offer a prize to the one that will bring the most 
scholars till the third night. Just before closing give a prize to the one 
making the greatest number of figure 7’s in one minute. In deciding 
take into consideration legibility also. 

SECOND LESSON. 

It is very likely that you will have a larger class this time. It will 
be necessary for you to do considerable talking, but you must not talk 
too much. Review what you said the first evening in regard to move¬ 
ment and form, and then put them to work. You should be on your 
feet nearly all the time, and see to it, that the scholars have the right 
position. Talk to them often as follows : “Now let us see how many 
can maintain a correH position. The body should be erect, and should 
not touch the desk ; feet should be on the floor in front of the chair. 
You may all try the capital fold and keep up with the time as I count; 
one two ; one two. Why do I emphasize two ? Because the last line is 
shaded and made a little quicker. Top of the penholder should point 





fHYSJCAL JRAIJVfIJMG JN ^ENMAJVSHjP. 


54 


toward the right shoulder. Hand should rest on the tips of the third 
and the fourth fingers, and the arm on the fleshy part in front of the 
elbow'. I now intend to grade you on position while you w r rite. Let us 
see how many deserve ninety per cent.” (Here grade each one.) “The 
grades are as follows : number one, ioo per cent. ; number two, 95 per 
cent.; number three, 90 per cent.; number four, 50 per cent.” (Contin¬ 
ue till all the grades are mentioned.) “I will now grade you on pen¬ 
holding and movement.” (Grade same as before.) “You may now all 
try the capital O, and I will give an oblique penholder to the party that 
makes the best one. Understand, it must be made rapidly and with 
the proper movement. You will receive no grade if you draw it off, 
eveft if you make it perfect.” After this is over then tell them to try 
the little /, and that you would give the party that made a perfeH: one 
ten cents. After examining them take the best one and say, “Here is 
one that is not perfect, but it is so nearly perfect that I have concluded 
to give the young man the ten cents, and we will now call on him to 
make a speech not less than one minute in length.” 

Continue to make it interesting for them during each lesson. Nev¬ 
er continue a lesson longer than one hour. It is hard work to teach 
intelligently and effectively . If you can make it real interesting the 
scholars would often like to continue the lesson longer than an hour; but 
when the hour is up always dismiss them and they will be sure to be 
back the next evening. Usually close up wfith an interesting competi¬ 
tion. 

TUITION. 


As soon as you have the scholars interested in your method of 
teaching, and if they seem entirely satisfied, then yon may venture a 
few suggestions in regard to tuition. Simply say, “You will notice 
that I advertise on my circulars that you need not pay tuition until you 
are satisfied. I will simply say this evening that as far as I know we 
are having a profitable time here, and as you appear to be satis- - 
fied with our method of teaching I will add, that if there are any here 
who could pay up till next evening, I will promise not to oppose any¬ 
thing that you may wish to do in that direction, especially since the 
term has now partly expired.” This simple statement invariably in¬ 
duces many to pay up. 

After a night or two you should state that quite a number of the 
scholars had paid their tuition, and you were ready to receive the bal¬ 
ance at any time. By using a little tad you will have no trouble in coL 
le6ting all the tuition till the end of the term, while most of it is gener¬ 
ally paid before the term is half out. 

If you are conducting a school of penmanship at one place and 





f HYSJCAL JOINING JN PEJVMAJVSJfIP. 


55 


intend to remain there, then your tuition should always be paid in 
advance. This is the rule with all schools and colleges. 

\ our success as a teacher will depend greatly upon the kind of 
order you keep. People have an idea they can write and talk at the 
same time, and unless you maintain order from the start you may have 
a noisy school; and the result will be that the better class of scholars 
will leave the class. If you study how to interest them,, you will not 
have much trouble in maintaining good order. 

FLOURISHING. 

On the next page is given a sample of rapid off-hand flourishing by 
the author, as an illustration of what can be done in ornamental pen¬ 
manship by having a thorough control of the muscles. Though the 
author teaches plain and ornamental penmanship in every department, 
he has found that an easy rapid style of plain writing is the foundation 
to the vast field of ornamental pen work. Therefore, those who are, 
desirous of learning flourishing,pen drawing &c., should first acquire a 
good style of plain writing. By following the instructions herein given, 

} ou can do this in from ioo to 300 hours. It will depend upon the men¬ 
tal and physical energy you put upon the work. You may apply 100 
per cent, of physical energy, and only 10 per cent, of mental energy, 
and the result will naturally be poor. You must apply 100 per cent, of 
each. Use your brains as well as your muscles, and then work. No 
great objed can be accomplished without labor, and, indeed labor,with 
the proper incentives, is one of the secrets of happiness. 















































































KEY TO INTELLIGENT PRACTICE IN 
PENMANSHIP. 

1. Read and study this book thoroughly. 

2. Practice mainly on the simple elements and principles of the 
letters, for the first ioo hours. 

3. To assume correct position, penholding and movement is a 
habit , and will appear unnatural until it is formed, by continued practice. 

4. Turn hand well over towards the body, and rest it on tips of 
third and fourth fingers. 

5. It is better at first, to make an exercise wrong with the right 
movement, than to make the exercise right with the wrong move¬ 
ment. Remember this. 

6. Apply 100 per cent, of mental energy to your physical endeavors. 

7. Apply 100 per cent, of physical exertions to your mental appli¬ 
cation. 

8. Mind and body must work in union. 

9. One thousand repetitions carefully made, will advance you 
more than ten thousand made carelessly. Remember this , also. 

10. Do not try to cultivate movement on an imperfeki image. 

11. Study form for the physical practice of it, and not for the mere 
knowing of it. 

12. Overcome discouragement. Victory in writing gives you the 
stimulus for a hundred other, and greater victories. 

13. Keep the feet on the floor, and do not lean against the desk, 
or against the back of the chair. 

14. Keep the left hand on the paper, to change and hold it. All 
the muscles should be in sympathy, and aid the hand in its work. You 
can not even allow your big toe to go to sleep without effe&ing the mo¬ 
tion of the hand ; much less can you afford the whole body to assume a 
lazy or indifferent position. Be wide awake. 

15. As a rule, all downward strokes should be made towards the 
body. 


58 


fHYSJCAL JRAIJVIJVG fN PEJ^M/NSHJP. 


16. Do not scribble —that is, do not practice carelessly. Better 
quit at once , and try some other time. 

17. Practice with a free quick and bold stroke. Let the movement 
be bold, free, off-hand, resting the hand and pen so lightly that the 
movement will not be hindered. 

18. After you have a free movement, copy letters, notes, receipts, 
and better yet open correspondence with new friends and write to them 
often. Get a good text-book on letter writing, 

19. Think while you write, so eventually, you can write Without 
thinking much about it. 

20. Use good paper. Use good ink. Use good pens. A good 
penman can not write well with poor material, how, then, should a 
poor writer be expefted to do good work ? 

21. Renew your pen when it gets sharp. Remember a good steel 
pen lasts only from two to three hours, by constant and diligent prac¬ 
tice. Do not buy one pen at a time, but purchase them by the gross, 
or quarter gross. 

22. Do not draw your letters, but write them See difference be¬ 
tween writing and drawing on another page. 

23. When you write with a lead pencil, use a long one, but if pos¬ 
sible, use pen and ink in all your work. 

24. Keep an account of the actual time you devote to practice. 
Always deduct the time lost in conversation, or other misdire6ted atten¬ 
tion, during writing time. 

25. Do one thing at a time, and do that well. 

26. Do not try to run ahead of your shadow—do not write faster 
than you are capable of writing. 

27. Keep your mind in sympathy with your effort and not against 
it. Never say, I can't. Leave the final t off, and say lean. Where 
there is a will there is a way. 

28. Practice on words and sentences, and do not scatter your 
words over a whole sheet, but write it ordinarily compact and avoid 
flourishes in all writing pertaining purely to business. 

29. Do not practice left hand writing for mere amusement. It 
takes enough time to train one hand. 

30. Be in earnest. 

31. Do not practice movement to get form, but practice form to 
get movement. We ought not to live to eat, bnt eat to live. Eating 
bears the same relation to life, practically , as does the study of form to 
movement in writing. 

32. Make your work a pleasure instead of a task by appreciating 
the value of good penmanship. 




APPLICATION OF WRITING 
TO 

BUSINESS, SOCIAL AND MORAL INFLUENCES. 

It is not enough to be able to write. We must turn the acquisition 
into use . We must not only borrow great ideas from sages and philos¬ 
ophers, but we must so digest them that they will become a part of our 
own being, and then we can use the quill with effeCt. 

In this connection I quote the sayings of great and successful men, 
and hope that it may prove an incentive for you to read many a volume 
that may give you light on good living. 

GOOD ADVICE BY GREAT MEN. 

What struggling, and scratching, and shifting, and lying, and cheat¬ 
ing is practiced every day by mammon worshipers in their eagerness 
to make money. What a comparison between the successful and the 
unsuccessful of the millions, who have entered upon the aCtive duties 
of life’s eventful journey. “Honesty is the best policy,’’and he who 
weds himself to that principal, though poor, makes life a success. 

“ Anonymous .” 

He that departs with his own honesty 

For vulgar praise, doth it too dearly buy. 

Ben Johnson . 

Do you what you undertake thoroughly. 

Be faithful 1o all accepted trusts. 

A Boston Merchant . 

It is a mistake that capital alone is necessary to success. If a man 
has head and hands suited to his business, it will soon procure him 
capital. John Freedley. 

Time is gold, throw not one minute away, but place each one to 
account. Do unto all men as you would be done by. Never give out 
that which does not first come in. 

From McDonogh's Tomb , New Orleans. 


6o 


f HYSJCAL JRAIJVIJVG JN f ENyViANSjHP. 


There is no boy in America, however humble his birth, who, in 
whatever capacity his lot be cast, if he have a strong arm, a clear head, 
brave heart, and honest purpose, may not, by the light of our public 
schools and the freedom of our laws, rise until he stands foremost in 
the honor and confidence of the country. 

Congressman Payson , Pontiac , III. 

Punctuality is the mother of confidence. Be on time. Be frank. 
Say what you mean. Do what you say. So shall your friends know 
and take it for granted, that you mean to do just what is right. 

John Briggs. 

Be honest, be temperate and never gamble. John Jacob Astor. 

Cut short your losses, and let your profits go on. “ Recardo's Rules." 

He that has never known adversity, is but half acquainted with 
others, or with himself, for constant success shows us but one side of 
the world. “Colton." 

What though you have found no treasure, nor has any rich relation 
left you a legacy. Diligence is the mother of good luck, and God 
gives all things to industry. Then plough deep while the sluggard 
sleeps, and you shall have corn to sell and to keep. Work while it is 
called to-day, for one to-day is worth two to-morrows. Franklin. 

Make a bargain at once. Be an off-hand man. Be cautious and 
bold. Rothschild's Business Rule. 

Until men have learned industry, economy and self-control, they 
cannot be safely intrusted with wealth. John Briggs. 

When I caution you against becoming a miser, I do not therefore 
advise you to become a prodigal or a spendthrift. “ HoraceP 

The way to gain a good reputation, is to endeavor to be what you 
desire to appear. Socrates. 

You may depend upon it, that he is a good man, whose intimate 
friends are all good. Lavater. 

Actions, looks, words, steps, form the alphabet by which you may 
spell “character.” Lavater. 

The best rules to form, young man, are, to talk little, to hear much, 
to refled alone what has passed in company, to distrust one’s own 
opinions, and value others that deserve it. Sir William Temple. 

Deliberate with caution, but ad with decision, and yield with gra¬ 
ciousness, or oppose with firmness. Colton. 

This above all—to thine own self be true, 

And it must follow, as the day, the night, 

Thou canst not then be false to any man. 


Shakespeare. 




fHYSJCAL JRAJNJNG JN fENM^JVSHJP. 


61 



FOR HOME WORKERS. 

We want wide awake workers to sell this little book, “Physical 
Training in Penmanship,” at their own homes. 

“IrlE WAI *© DO m. 

Secure a copy, and if your writing is poor, you will have the better 
opportunity to prove its merits. Follow the instructions faithfully and 
diligently during your spare moments until you secure your Diploma. 
Then show specimens of your easy rapid business writing to your 
neighbors, and a copy of the book. You will be astonished at the num¬ 
ber of copies you can sell by putting your spare moments to the work. 

DIPLOMA. 

This is the only system that has proved a success as a complete 
self-instruClor, and the only system that can safely offer a regular Busi¬ 
ness College Diploma to home workers. A charge is made to cover 
the actual expenses of the Diploma, which is $1.00. It must be strongly 
packed and mailed at letter rates, which, alone, costs considerable. 

The objeCt in offering the Diploma, is to create a standard of abili¬ 
ty, which we wish all to reach. 

For complete instructions and terms to agents, address, 

(^id0OF| BiLxleF, 

"W~OOS^01S Ol|io. 


What is said of it. 


We have received hundreds of testimonials setting fourth the mer¬ 
its of our book, but we have space for only a few, which we give below : 

From Prof. A. C. Webb , the famous Artist and Penman of Nashville, 
Tenn. 

“Your book contains as much sense as I have ever seen within the same number of pages. It 
is a valuable addition to penmanship literature.” 

From the International Exponent of the Caligraphic Art , Altoona , Pa. 

“Bixler’s Physical Training in Penmanship, is the title of an unique and interesting work on 
penmanship. This is the second edition of the work, improved and enlarged, and shows that the 
young men and ladies of this country appreciate a good thing as soon as they gaze on it. G. Bix- 
ler has one of the largest schools of Pen Art in the country at Wooster, O.” 





j^HYSJCAL J RAINING JN PEjVM AJVSjf IP. 


62 


From the Penman's Art Journal, published at 205 Broadway, New ) ork . 

“The importance of developing and training certain physical accessories to writing, is undis¬ 
puted by reputable writing teachers. We have before us a copy of ‘Bixler’s Physical draining m 
Penmanship,’ which goes into the theme extensively. The portion of his work we have been able 
so far to examine treats the subjedl intelligently, presenting many valuable suggestions to the 

young penmen.” 


From the popular Elocutionist and Penman, Prof. Beltz, op Alliance, 
Ohio. 

“I have just received a copy of your Physical Training in Penmanship, and after a careful 
examination, have no hesitancy in saying that it is the best book on Penmanship in the world. 
Its equal is not to be found. If is new and original in its inception and ttfll prove an invaluable 
aid to the traveling teachers, and a grand guide to the amateur penmen. It is a marvel of beauty 
and 1 predict for it a rapid and large sale.” 


From the Western Penman, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 

“Bixler’s Physical Training in Penmanship is a valuable, instructive and handsome volume 
full of good ideas. It should be in the library of every penman.” 


From GaskelVs Magazine, Published at Chicago, III. 

“Bixler’s Physical Training in Penmanship is a handsomely bound book setting forth an 
excellent system of penmanship. 

From G. W. Michael, Delaware, O. 

“Your book is here: you are a clear reasoner on the subject of penmanship. One of your 
books is worth a thousand of the Spencerian books. 

From Mary Wanamaker, Geneva, Ohio. 

“I received your book on Physical Training in Penmanship. I was very glad to get it; it is 
so nice and will be a great help to me in teaching. It is undoubtedly the grandest work on Pen¬ 
manship ever published. The explanations of the letters are so plain and simple that they can be 

learned in a short time.” 

From M. B. Moore, Morgan, Ky. 

“Allow me to thank you a thousand times for the beautiful copy of the second edition of your 
Physical Training in Penmanship. It would be difficult, indeed, to crowd more real common 
sense into the same number of pages. It will occupy an honored place in my library. No won¬ 
der a third edition is called for.” 

From Prof. C. T. Harman, Georgetown, Ind. 

“1 doubled my speed, a gain of about 12 words per minute, in 100 hours study and practice 
from your book, Physical Training in Penmanship. To anyone interested at all in the ‘Queen of 
Arts’ the book is worth at least $3.00. 

From Prof. James O. Wise, Superintendent of Penmanship in the Pub¬ 
lic Schools of Akron, Ohio. 

“Bixler’s Physical Training in Penmanship is the best book on this subject ever placed before 
the American people.’’ 


From Prof . Joseph Bender, Rogersvilie, Ohio. 

“Physical Training in Penmanship is certainly the best book published on the subject-of pen 
manship. It is a grand work. The best Self Instructor for those wishing to improve their pen¬ 
manship,—just the thing for school teachers.” 



fHYSJCAL JRAIJVIJVG JNfENMAJVSHJP. 


63 



FVT^FJMFFS OF 

This Institution is noted for its rapid progress. It started without 
a cent of money, and through its own superior facilities in imparting 
practical knowledge, worked itself on a par with the best of schools, 
and now has not only a name but is, also, on a solid financial basis. 

There are Four Complete Departments, and the rooms cover over 
5000 sq. ft. of Floorage, of the handsomest school rooms in the State. 

All departments are under the management of experts. 

Business Bepartmenfe. 

Single and Double Entry Book-keeping, Abtual Business Pra&ice, 
and all Commercial Branches. 

The work is made more practical from the use of Original sets in 
book-keeping. 





































6 4 


jPHYSljCAL JRAJJ^IJVG JN PENM/iNSJHP. 


ShOPt EelFKi SGp&PtiMGFlb. 

Four styles of the leading Typewriters used. Our methc d of 
physical training in shorthand insures rapid progress, and gives 
permanent skill. 

lerMcmship Bepapfer^enb. 

Plain and Ornamental Penmanship taught in all of its branches. 
Only the plain writing taught to the business and short hand students, 
unless otherwise specified by special request. 

PpiFifei^g BepapbEFienfe. 

Probably the only school that owns a complete Printing Establish¬ 
ment. Best Presses, Paper Cutter, Moter Power, &c., &c. 

Students can enter any of the departments at any time during the 
year. No vacations. Circulars free. Catalogue for stamp. 

MISCELLANEOUS PRICE LIST. 


Oblique Pen Holder, each.^ OI ° 

Oblique Pen Holder, per dozen - .' 

My Favorite Pen, per X gross ------- .25 

Bixler’s Physical Training in Penmanship, each - - - .50 

Bixler’s Game, “Turning out the Wicked,” each - - - - 2 5 

Elegantly Written cards, per dozen ----- .20 

Flourished Bird and larger designs fresh from the pen, 

from --------- 25 cts , to $50.00 

Written Capital Letters, each set ------ .25 

“ Small Letters, each “------- .15 

“ Business Letter, each.- -*5 

“ Artistic Letter, each.- * 2 5 

Text Book on Complete Book-keeping.2.25 

Blanks for Complete Book-keeping -. 2 - 5 ° 

Text Book oh Commercial Law . 2 -°° 

Text Book onCommercial Arithmetic ----- 2.00 

Text Book on Practical Grammar. -75 

Black Ink, per quart -75 

Black Gloss Ink, for fine work, per 2 oz. bottles, each - - 2 5 

Bixler’s Praftice Paper, per ream, 14 lb.. 3 -°° 


All of the above, with the exception of the Text Books, Blanks and 
Ink, will be mailed to any address, postage prepaid. Ink cannot be 
sent by mail. Address all letters to 



G. BIXLER, 



Wooster, Oliio. 



























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